LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa – A PPL Center crowd that had been without Phantoms hockey for almost two weeks got rewarded for their patience Wednesday night as the Phantoms rallied late and beat Hershey 3-2 in overtime. This contest was the fifth of twelve meetings between the two Atlantic Division rivals, and the third of those five to need extra time.
Early in the first, it was Hershey who would start the scoring on the night. Just 5:48 into the opening frame, Sam Morin would go off for a cross check and the Phantoms penalty kill would have to go to work. Coming into the game, Lehigh Valley had killed off 16 
straight penalties, but they wouldn’t be so lucky this time. On the man advantage, Hersheys’ Chris Bourque would send a touch pass from the point to the top of the far side circle to Connor Carrick, who one timed a shot that just barely squeaked through Anthony Stolarz pads and across the goal line to start the scoring. The rest of the period would see the Phantoms have great opportunities on two of their own man advantages, but be unable to capitalize on either. They would outshoot the Bears eleven to seven in the period, but come away trailing 1-0 after 20.
The second period would see the two teams trade penalties to open up the ice at 4 on 4. Jay Rosehill would go off for interference at 7:57, and Carrick would go off for tripping at 8:20. The Bears would capitalize on the open space and take a 2-0 lead on a goal by Mike Moore less than a minute later at 9:06. The Phantoms would get out shot an out played the rest of the period, unable to complete passes and play sloppily in their own zone. That play would find them shorthanded three more times in the period, but the penalty kill started a new streak and didn’t allow a power play goal the rest of the game. Lehigh would head into the room yet again trailing, this time by two, and the rest of the night did not look promising with how they played in the second.
It was a different Phantoms team that showed up for the third however, and they would take it to the bears for the last 20. It started with the Phantoms getting back to back power plays just four minutes into the period. Despite their valiant effort and chances, 
there was nothing there and the power play would go 0-5 on the night. The light started to shine in the second half of the period, as the Phantoms would finally get on the board. It was Petr Straka skating down the near side boards, pulling up at the top of the circle, and blasting an ear ringer past Dan Ellis at 11:22 that started the fire, and all would fall into place from there. This goal extended Strakas team lead to 15, and tied him for the AHL lead as well. Dannick Martel would serve a boarding minor at 13:01, causing the Phantoms to go short handed for the sixth and final time on the night. They would kill it off, and Martel would redeem himself exactly four minutes later. Taylor Leier would skate into the Hershey end along the near side boards and slide a pass to Martel between the hash marks that would get snapped top corner to tie the game at two. The Phantoms came alive and outshot the Bears 12 to 4 in the final frame to push the matchup to overtime. Two of their previous meetings with the Bears had gone to OT this year, both ending in shootouts. A shootout looked imminent as well on Wednesday, but Lehigh Valley didn’t want to keep their fans waiting.
Overtime with its new three on three rules has revitalized the extra session of every regular season contest. The back and forth action that often results in odd man rushes keeps fans on the edge of their seats, and Wednesdays game was no different. Each team got their chances, going end to end with each shot registering a shot on goal while in the offensive zone. The action lasted till there was 1:15 left, as Nick Cousins found 
the twine to send the PPL Center crowd home happy. Leier again would set up the goal, skimming down the near side boards and dropping a pass back to the blue line for Cousins. Cousins would then go east to west in the Bears end, and fire a shot that beat Ellis and gained his squad the extra point. The Phantoms completed the hat trick of beating Hershey in extra time, and regained the advantage in the season series between the two teams.
The boys in orange and black return to home ice on Friday against division leading Wilkes-Barre, and again on Saturday against Springfield for their annual Teddy Bear Toss game. The Teddy Bear Toss has become a huge hit in minor and junior hockey, helping gather teddy bears at rinks for kids who are less fortunate during the holidays. The Phantoms will look to gain another four points and help brighten the younger population of the Lehigh Valleys holiday this weekend, and look to stay above .500 on the year.
All images by Steve.Rusyn@prohockeynews.com
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