Phantoms Post-Game EXTRA! (1/30/22)

ALLENTOWN, Pa - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (14-14-8) found a way Sunday evening in the tail end of a 3-in-3 weekend after falling behind 2-1 in the third period, thanks to a Cal O'Reilly shorthanded tally (his second SHG of the game) and a game-winner from Linus Sandin (one goal, one assist) after Sandin set up O'Reilly's game-tyinh SHG.

Sunday night's game story -> https://insideahlhockey.com/article/game-story-hershey-2-at-lehigh-valley-3-13022

1. Emptying The Tank

The Phantoms, playing their third game in as many days, certainly saw their legs diminish as the game wore on. After out-shooting Hershey 11-7 in the first period, they were out-shot 21-11 in the final 40 minutes.

But they found a way.

"Guys were gassed," head coach Ian Laperriere told InsideAHLHockey.com after the game. "Call it like it is: three games in three nights, with some traveling in there. And I told them I don't know how you guys do it. I've never done it - three games in three nights. And we're short on bodies. It's not like we could put new fresh legs in there. But I love this group. They battle, they're never in doubt. They keep pushing. They believe in one another."

2. Captain Clutch

Captain Cal O'Reilly is certainly known as a setup man. He is, after all, continuing to re-write the AHL record books as he continues to climb the league's all-time assist leaderboard.

But on Sunday evening it was O'Reilly finishing off two shorthanded rushes for two big goals.

"Yeah, I mean sometimes that's the way it goes," O'Reilly said with a smile after the game. "I have to shoot the puck more and tonight I was fortunate to get two good chances. They just went in for us."

O'Reilly has been a key cog in the Phantoms' turnaround from the start of the year. After a slow start himself, going without a point in his first nine games this season, O'Reilly now has 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) in his last 26 games. A point-per-game player at the AHL level as a 35-year-old who recently welcomed his third child into the world, daughter

"They're great," O'Reilly said, referring to his wife, Terra, and newborn baby. "My wife got out of the hospital Friday, and feeling good and healthy baby. Just a crazy household back home now. I guess I got some some good luck from from her for this game."

3. Sandin Shines Again

After Sunday's game, Linus Sandin opened up about his hardships during his recovery from taking a puck to the face on opening weekend back in October, and how initially he wasn't sure when he would play hockey next.

"When the injury happened, I was just like.... it's been like a roller coaster has been up and down," Sandin explained to InsideAHLHockey.com after the game. "And those, I don't know, 8 to 10 weeks was kind of tough. I mean, I didn't know when I was coming back. Was I gonna play any more hockey this year? I didn't know. And so soon as I just got the green light that I was good to go. I was just happy to be back with the boys and be back on the ice. So it's been been a good couple of weeks."

Sandin had to wait two and a half weeks for surgery after being hit in the face by the puck, a time in which Sandin said the pain and discomfort prevented him from getting much sleep.

"I mean, all the pain I didn't sleep at all," Sandin recalled. "So the last like four or five days before surgery started feeling a little bit better. And then after surgery, go back to square one again. And like back to the pain, didn't sleep at all. And then after another two weeks, I started like sleeping [and was able to get] back in the gym and start doing some some exercise. So the first four weeks was tough. But then after that it just was better and better."

Upon his return to game action, Sandin made an impact after shaking off some rust - to the tune of six goals and four assists now in his past 10 games. He earned his NHL debut with the Flyers this past week, and returned to Lehigh Valley only to put up points in all three games for the Phantoms over the weekend.

"It was it was cool feeling. I mean, I was happy to be up there. And it felt like all the hard work last couple years been paying off a little bit," Sandin said of making his NHL debut with the Flyers. "It was just very cool. And I was happy to be up there."