LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms were shutout for the first time in the 2015-2016 season on Saturday night as they fell to Providence 3-0. This was the two teams third matchup in eight days, as they played twice in Providence last weekend. The Bruins lost both those games, but returned the favor to the orange and black in Allentown.
The Phantoms would end up with a lot of chances in the game, including a man advantage just twenty two seconds into the game. Ben Youds would go off for a hook, but Lehigh Valley would not be able to capitalize. The two teams would exchange power plays the rest of the period, with each team getting two chances but not being able to find the back of the net. Martin Ouellette and Malcom Subban would keep it scoreless after one, but it would be PKs brother who had the last laugh in this one.
Penalties would kill the Phantoms the rest of the way, with newly called up Cam Reid going off for a hook half way through the second frame. A minute and a half after the penalty expired, with Lehigh reeling and not able to get the puck out of their zone, Providence would break the ice. Team captain Tommy Cross would cut between the circles, and dish a pass to Brandon Defazio at the dot on the far side circle. Defazio would one time an ear ringer pass Ouellette on his glove side to give the Bruins the 1-0 lead.
The Third would start much like the other two periods had, with the first thing written on the score sheet being a penalty. This time it be Kevin Goumas for a hook, and although it would take Providence longer after the man advantage expired, they would still capitalize on their zone time from it. On a break into the zone, Bruins top prospect Seth 
Griffith would snap a shot from inside the near side circle at the Phantoms net. With Ouellette at the top of the blue paint challenging, the shot hand cuffed him and wound up behind him, giving Griffith plenty of time to find and pot his own rebound to make it a 2-0 lead for the Bruins. The Phantoms did not help their case to get back in the game the rest of the period, being unable to get the puck out of their own end and being penalized two more times in the frame. The first of those two would come back to bite them.
Another bad rebound off Ouellette would lead to Providences third goal, this one being on the man advantage. Colby Cave would take a shot that again would hand cuff Ouellette yet again and end back up in the blue paint. Despite a valiant defensive effort from Sam Morin to clear the crease, his attempt would end up hitting his goal tender and going right to Anton Blidh who had a yawning cage to make it 3-0. The Phantoms would get a late five on three to try to at least put one up on the board, but would not be able to solve Subban. Providence would leave the PPL Center with a victory, and leave the Phantoms shutout for the first time this season. This loss continued some-what of a 
trend for Lehigh Valley, as every time the Phantoms have gotten to within a game of the .500 mark, they have lost to go back to two games under. They look to get back on the right track on Wednesday night as they pay their second visit to the Utica Comets in a week’s time. They will be looking to avenge a 7-1 loss from last Wednesday that only brought Sam Morin’s dominance on a very bloody fight as their only highlight. They’ll look to at least light the lamp more than once this time around, which they are more than capable of doing.
Images by Steve.Rusyn@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.