LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa – Friday night most fans were flooding to theaters to see the new Star Wars. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms gave the 8,111 people who came out to see them a treat by striking back to beat Hershey 6-4 at PPL Center. In what may have been the wildest game between the two teams this season, the tempers flared and the 
red lights lit up the night for ten combined goals by the time it was all said and done.
Sam Morin would open the scoring by cranking a one-time feed from Nick Cousins past Justin Peters just 3:42 into the game. That would be all that would go right for Lehigh Valley in the first, however, as the home team would give up three straight goals to end the opening frame. The first of those to tie the game came off a rebound just two minutes after Morins goal. Aaron Ness would skate down the far side and throw a shot of Anthony Stolarz near side pad. The puck would rebound right to Carter Camper, who sent one toward the front of the net that deflected off the stick of Paul Carey and in. Camper would add a power play tally on a nice deflection of his own off a point shot from Carey that found the very top part of the net just five minutes later to give Hershey the lead.
They would add to their lead just over a minute and a half later when Chris Bourque skated down the near side and picked a corner behind Stolarz to make it 3-1.
Hershey’s three straight to close out the period gave them the momentum going into the 
final five minutes of the first. But, much like the force, the Phantoms too would awaken late Friday evening. A huge hit from Colin McDonald started said awakening, and an Andrew MacDonald point shot set the tone for what was to come after intermission.
While on their second power play opportunity of the night, MacDonald ion cannoned a shot that found the skate of Taylor Leier in the mosh pit of traffic in front of Peters and then deflected through Hersheys net minder to bring Lehigh to within one going into the first break.
The second period is when things would get a little dicey, as an early questionable hit lead to all hell breaking loose. Liam O’Brien would check Mark Alt in the back of the head while he was kneeling near the boards behind the net to start the fray, with Morin stepping in to stick up for his defense partner.
Morin would get five for fighting, while O’Brien would get five for the fight, a match penalty for a check to the head which is another five minute major, and a game misconduct. One simple play leads to all of this, including an ejection, and the Phantoms smelt blood in the water.
With five minutes of power play time to work with, the Phantoms made sure not to waste any of it. Just 54 seconds into the lengthy man advantage, Nick Cousins would pick his own corner to tie the game at three, and the beginning of the end was in sight for Hershey.
Maxim Lamarche would add his first AHL goal on a cross ice feed from Aaron Palushaj to close out the power play and give the Phantoms the lead back.
The Scoring would be on hold till the 8:37 mark of the third when Alt would get back at the Bears by cranking home one himself to extend the lead to two. Cole Bardreau would add a tip in goal late in the period to put it out of reach for Hershey, even though Travis Boyd would add a deke to back hand goal to make it 6-4 in the dying seconds.
All in all the night turned out well for the Phantoms, as Sam Morin would be credited with being Third Star of the game by putting up a Gordie Howe hat trick(goal, assist, fight). Maxim Lamarche would get Second Star honors having scored his first AHL goal and adding an assist.
And Nick Cousins would get First Star, having scored the tying goal, an assist on the game winning goal, and the assist on Morins goal. It was not pretty at all, but it was a solid way for the Phantoms to not only bounce back from giving up three straight goals, but bouncing back from the shutout loss they suffered on Wednesday. Having one team give up three straight, only to come back and score five straight sounds like something coming right out of a video game, but it happened in real life to give the Phantoms the win.
Lehigh Valley takes their scoring show on the road Saturday night into Binghamton to face Zack Stortini and the Senators. They’ll be back on home ice looking for their first goal in six periods against Wilkes-Barre Scranton the Saturday after Christmas. The Phantoms put on a show for those who skipped Star Wars to see their favorite hockey team, and hopefully the impressive come from behind win balanced the force in those peoples minds for one night.
Game images by Steve.Rusyn@prohockeynews.com
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