Phantoms Post-Game EXTRA! 2019-20 Season: Binghamton - 1 at Lehigh Valley - 4
Lehigh Valley Phantoms
ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania -- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2-1-1) used a strong first period to their advantage in route to taking two points from the Binghamton Devils (1-3-1) Friday night at the PPL Center.
Andy Andreoff (two goals, one assist) and Morgan Frost (three assists) led the way offensively with three point nights. Joel Farabee tallied a goal in his third straight game, while Mikhail Vorobyev got things started with a first period power play goal.
Alex Lyon stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced, only allowing a 5-on-3 power play goal against in the final minute of the 3rd in what was an otherwise solid outing from the Phantoms' goaltender.
Tonight's Game Story -> http://insideahlhockey.com/article/game-story-2019-20-season-binghamton-at-lehigh-valley-101819
Three Things
1. The Power Play
Entering Friday's game, the Phantoms were 0-for-11 with the man advantage through their first three games. They not only picked up their first power play tally of the season, but went a perfect 3-for-3 in the first period to open up a 3-0 lead.
"Today we were moving it well, and it worked out," Andreoff said after the game. "Once we got the one, we were moving it really well. We weren't trying anything fancy, just keeping it simple and moving the puck around. We were fortunate enough to get a couple goals in the first."
The puck movement was on full display in the opening frame, which saw Vorobyev, Andreoff and Farabee all tally man advantage goals. With the 3-0 lead in the first period, the Phantoms never really looked back.
2. Goal (Joel) Farabee & MorgAn Frost
Joel Farabee seemingly has made a seamless transition to the pro ranks at the AHL level. Through three games, he's tallied a goal in each of them and head coach Scott Gordon said he wasn't surprised that Farabee has been able to have his scoring prowess from his freshman season at Boston University carry over into the AHL.
"The offense is happening for Joel because he plays a 200-foot game," head coach Scott Gordon said after the game. "He makes good decisions, doesn't turn over pucks, stops on loose pucks, works in the defensive zone, wins 1-on-1 battles. He affords himself the opportunity to not spend a lot of time in his zone because of all the details in his game."
"There's no question when I look at his career path and some of the junior players, the benefit of him playing for a big D-1 college program at BU and the competition he had to play against, it's such a huge advantage because he's playing against 23-25 year old men and the guys coming from junior they have to make the adjustment to playing against someone that is older than them versus someone who is younger than them. Physically, you have to be able to handle it. And he's shown he's had success in his freshmen year of college and that experience has prepared him well for professional hockey."
You knew Morgan Frost's stat line wasn't going to read 0G-0A much longer as the 4th game of the season got underway tonight.
While he didn't tally first first goal -- and he should have on a tap in play in the 3rd that saw the puck take an unfortunate hop over his stick at the left post -- Frost was a key cog in the power play, having a direct hand in setting up two of the three goals scored in the first period and finishing with three assists on the night.
“I’m still sort of feeling it out," Frost said after the game. "It’s only been a few games here, so it’s definitely a big learning curve for me coming from juniors. I’m just trying to learn as much as I can and be the best player I can be.”
3. Welcome Back Chris Conner
Friday's game marked the return of forward Chris Conner as the 14-year pro signed with the Binghamton Devils in the off-season and faced the Phantoms for the first time after spending the previous four years in the Lehigh Valley.
Conner is the all-time leader in games played (265), assists (128) and points (199) in Lehigh Valley Phantoms six-year franchise history.
"I was in Lehigh for four years and that's a pretty long time for the American League for being in one spot," Conner told Inside AHL Hockey on Wednesday. "Obviously they have a great organization over there too. The rink, the Phantoms, the Brooks brothers - they've been good to me, so I've got no complaints."
Here's the full story on Conner's new career chapter with the Devils organization -> http://insideahlhockey.com/article/conner-begins-new-chapter-with-binghamton-devils
