Phantoms Post-Game EXTRA! (3/13/22)

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - For the second time in as many nights, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms overcame a two-goal deficit in route to a regulation win. Saturday night, it was a high-scoring affair as the Phantoms and Hartford Wolf Pack combined for 11 (!) goals - with Logan Day sealing the deal on a 6-5 win with his tally late in the third period.

Saturday's Game Story -> https://insideahlhockey.com/article/game-story-hartford-5-at-lehigh-valley-6-31222

Three Things

1. Goals, Goals, Goals!

Upon arriving at PPL Center two hours prior to puck drop, it appeared the in-arena staff was having some fun with the scoreboard because it read Lehigh Valley - 16, Hartford - 16. At the time, it was funny.

But when the Phantoms and Wolf Pack opened the first period with four goals in the first 9:01 and six total goals in the opening period, it became quickly evident that Saturday's game was going to be a high-scoring affair.

"Last two games here, we've started to put some goals on the board, which has been a struggle for us all year," O'Reilly told InsideAHLHockey.com after the game. "So it's nice to see for us, you know, for our team confidence and getting some goals - it's huge."

The Phantoms found themselves trailing 4-2 after 20 minutes, but felt they were the better team despite the score. They switched goalies for the middle frame (enter Felix Sandstrom for Kirill Ustimenko) and went on to out-score Hartford 4-1 in the final 40 minutes.

**2. 'Three OHL Boys'

It might not even be hyperbolic to state that when the Phantoms' third line of Isaac Ratcliffe, Matt Strome and Hayden Hodgson were on the ice, they simply dominated every shift. It just seemed like they were impossible to move off the puck, spending most of their shifts cycling pucks in the offensive zone.

Their work produced two goals, both coming after some good work along the walls and both ending with tallies from the team's leading goal scorer - Hodgson - who is now up to 18 markers on the season.

When asked what has been leading to their success as a line on the ice, Hodgson smiled post-game Saturday and quipped," Three OHL boys!"

"I think we just out-work them," Hodgson said. "It's just a matter of fact, out-working our opponents every single night. And I think, you know, like you said, we got some good chemistry between the three of us and it's paying off."

3. Allison "Banged Up" From Friday's Game, Status For Sunday's Game Unknown

While the initial thought was that Wade Allison's omission from the lineup Saturday was a scheduled scratch in the middle game of a 3-in-3, that was not the case as Laperriere told InsideAHLHockey.com, "He's banged up [from Friday], so he didn't play [Saturday] and I'm not sure about [Sunday].

In other injury news, forwards Tyson Foerster and Ryan Fitzgerald appear to be nearing returns to game action.

Foerster has been out since suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery coming in a game in Charlotte in November. The last I had heard, a mid-March return was the target for his return.

Fitzgerald was practicing with the Phantoms earlier this week - albeit in red no-contact jersey. He's been out all season after undergoing hip surgery prior to the start of the season.