LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms hadn’t won at the PPL Center since a 4-1 win over Wilkes-Barre Scranton on March 28th. Scott Laughton made sure that tonight, the home team prevailed. Laughton had a second period tying goal and game-winning shootout goal as the Phantoms downed the Norfolk Admirals Friday night.
When the game started, it looked like Lehigh Valley might be headed for another defeat, as Matt Bailey struck just two minutes in. Joseph Cramarossa fed Bailey behind the net. 
He made a perfect move to the front of the net and beat Rob Zepp on wraparound. Rob Czarnik picked up a secondary assist. The Phantoms’’ best chance to tie the game came with 3:50 left in the period. Petr Straka came flying the near side and passed to Blair Jones in the slot, but Jones was bested by Norfolk netminder Ryan Faragher
At 8:26 of the second, the Phantoms struck back. Laughton took a pass from Adam Comrie and blasted a slapshot from the top of the right circle over Faragher’s left shoulder. Norfolk nearly tied it on the man-advantage midway through the frame when Dave Steckel broke free on a breakaway. He tried a backhand to forehand move, but Zepp committed highway robbery with the glove.
The Phantoms nearly t the lead 60 seconds into the third when rookie Cole Bardreau hit the post. Ten minutes later, the Phantoms missed on another glorious chance. Laughton stole the puck in the Lehigh Valley offensive zone and made a nifty drop pass to Andrew Gordon, Gordon tried to tuck it around Faragher, but he was equal to the task.
The Phantoms started the overtime on a power play, as Mike Sgarbossa was sent off for slashing with 25 seconds remaining in the third. However, they were unable to convert. Both teams had great chances, but it was one that got away from Adam Comrie that may hurt the most. With the game three on three, Gordon fed the puck to Comrie, who cut across the slot and tried to backhand it home. However, the Norfolk netminder stood tall again, so the two squads headed to a shootout.
Petr Straka got the Phantoms on the board first with a backhand, but Rookie Shea Theodore beat Zepp for the Admirals. That set up Laughton’s heroics. He went five hole, while Zepp shutdown Max Friberg to end the game.
Notes: After the game, the Phantoms’ media contingent presented Andrew Gordon with a “Good Guy” Award for being the most media friendly player during the season. Winger Brett Hextall was scratched due to illness. Kevin Goumas took his spot in the lineup. With his assist on Laughton’s second period marker, Jason Akeson move into sole possession of fourth on the team all-time scoring list with 223 points. There will be a forward called up to Philadelphia for this afternoon’s season finale, but after the game, exactly who it was to be wasn’t announced.
They said it: Laughton on the shootout marker: “It feels really good. It feels like a really long time since we got a win at home, so it’s been good. I’ve been playing a lot with Gordon and (Taylor) Leier and Terry put us together when I came back down. We’re starting t find each other again, so it’s good.”
Cole Bardreau on his first experience with the three on three overtime: “It was awesome. We do 5 on 5 in college, so it was cool to get down to the three on three and open up the ice a little bit. A little nerve racking, but definitely a good experience. It creates more scoring and it’s good for the fans, too.”
On Stolarz starting tonight vs. Norfolk: “Zepp won’t start, I talked to both guys today and….Stolarz will be in.”
On the strength of the penalty kill at home: “The attention to detail, the hard work. There’s a meeting covering it every game day, there’s practice where we’re working on it. The guys take a lot of pride and that enters into it, I think, in a very big way. It’s a great thing to rally around. You can’t rely on I to be seven, eight, nine times in a game. We’ve been through that in the middle of the year and it doesn’t work. However, when we’ve needed it one or two times, the guys have been great.
3 Stars: 3) NOR-Faragher (33 saves on 34 shots) 2) LV-Zepp (33 saves on 34 shots, win) 1) LV-Scott Laughton (12th goal, GWG in the shootout)
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