LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms got handed a mischief night defeat by St. Johns by a final of 3-2 Friday night. The IceCaps were able to hold off a flurry of shots late in the game from Lehigh to get their revenge for Wednesday nights thrashing they took from the Phantoms.
St. Johns was able to control the pace for much of an uneventful first period. The whole nights script, minus the score, was almost a complete 180 degree turn from Wednesdays game in Allentown. No scoring took place in the first, but the second would be packed full of action.
It took the IceCaps just 30 seconds to get on the board and break the stalemate, when Bud Holloway unleashed a shot from the top of the circle. The lively PPL Center boards gave the IceCaps a friendly bounce, which Sven Andrighetto would snap backdoor on Anthony Stolarz before he even knew where the puck was. St. Johns would score again at the 6:56 mark on a similar backdoor play. Holloway would skate down the far side and turn and slide the puck back to Charles Hudon, who would not hesitate to take advantage of the AHLs worst penalty kill.
Everything was going the IceCaps way to this point, until Michael McCarron would take a roughing minor at the 8:37 mark. Chris Conner, whos been having nothing but quality looks but few results on this young season would skate down the near side, step through two defenders, and snap one far side on Zachary Fucale to get the Phantoms on the board. Lehigh would get another opportunity on their struggling man advantage just two minutes later, when Andrighetto would be assessed two minors. One was for charging, the other for roughing, and the Phantoms wanted to put a charge into their crowd and rough up the IceCaps to tie the game.
The tying goal would not come (yet) as the four minute power play generated barely any chances and was trying too hard for a perfect pass. The period would end with St. Johns in the lead, but it would not last long. Conner would bury his second of the night on an odd man rush just a little under six minutes into the final frame. Nick Cousins was able to spring Conner and Danick Martel on said rush, but paid the price taking an elbow to the head on the play. Cousins was shaken up on the play, and barely skated the rest of the night. The elbow would go unnoticed however, due to one of the
linesman going down with an injury. Only two officials would have to control the ice the rest of the night, and that would prove costly to Lehigh Valley
The IceCaps would score the go ahead goal at the 8:49 mark, as McCarron would get the tally back that his penalty lead to. Lehigh seemed to protest the goal, for it being offside. “I can honestly say it was offside,” Head Coach Scott Gordon would say postgame “but I had super slow-mo, but it was only off by an inch. Its an easy call for me to make with the (replays) but a ref just has to make a judgement call, so I can see it from his point-of-view”. The goal would prove to be the game winner, and the IceCaps would leave the Valley with an important win.
The Phantoms have today off, and then head to Hershey on Sunday afternoon looking to end the Halloween weekend with a big win over a huge rival. Injuries have plagued this team so far, but the return of Martel tonight could mean promising things going forward. Gordon said they could be getting “more bodies” back soon, which would be huge if Cousins has a concussion from that elbow to the head. Lehigh has some big strides to take before they can become a force in the league.
Images by Steve.Rusyn@prohockeynews.com
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