ALLENTOWN, PA – The Hartford Wolf Pack saw their three-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday afternoon, 6-3 at the hands of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
For the second straight game, the Phantoms jumped out to a 2-0 lead. This time, it was Oscar Eklind who broke the ice.
Eklind tucked a shot from the side of the net by the right pad of Spencer Martin at 3:32 for his second goal of the weekend, making it 1-0.
Moments later, at 7:24, Anthony Richard extended the lead to 2-0. Off a turnover in the neutral zone, Maxence Guenette drove in on the right-wing side with possession. Guenette hit a streaking Richard down the middle, who tipped home his 14th goal of the season.
The Wolf Pack refused to back down, and for the second straight game erased a 2-0 deficit.
Anton Blidh got Hartford on the board at 10:25, deflecting his fifth goal of the season by Alexei Kolosov. Brett Berard picked up the puck on the right-wing side, maneuvered to the top of the slot, and fired a shot that Blidh tipped home to make it 2-1.
3:21 later, Juuso Pärssinen equalized. Travis Dermott fired a shot from the point that missed the net but hit the end boards. The puck bounced right to Pärssinen in the right-wing circle, where he quickly settled and released a shot that beat a diving Kolosov to make it 2-2.
The goal, scored at 13:46, was Pärssinen’s fourth in his last five games.
Alex Bump restored the lead just 1:34 into the second period for the Phantoms. Christian Kyrou fired a shot from the point that appeared to be going wide, but it clipped Bump in the crease and found its way by Martin to make it 3-2.
The goal was Bump’s eleventh of the season.
The Wolf Pack controlled the second period, outshooting and out-chancing the Phantoms. Kolosov was the difference, however, making 13 saves to keep the Wolf Pack off the board.
Late in the period, a turnover in the neutral zone led to the Phantoms extending their lead.
Cooper Marody fired a shot that clipped Martin and found the back of the net at 16:55, extending the lead to 4-2 for the Phantoms.
Lane Pederson’s second goal of the weekend extended the lead to 5-2 6:33 into the third period. On their first power play of the game, Oliver Bonk sent a shot to the goal that Martin denied. The rebound pinballed around before eventually being shoveled home by Pederson.
Brennan Othmann responded for the Wolf Pack at 7:52. Othmann collected a puck in the left-wing circle and snapped a shot over the right shoulder of Kolosov to make it 5-3. The goal was Othmann’s second in as many nights.
Richard’s second of the game at 11:40 put the Phantoms out of reach, however. Richard was able to jam a puck by Martin from the side of the net for his 15th goal of the season.
