Same Song, Different Dance - 2nd Period Penalties Prevent Phantoms From Playing Their Game

Penalties have been costing the Phantoms points all season long.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms held another players-only meeting after tonight's loss for another talk about what has been a problem all season long. Undisciplined penalties.

In the second period of tonight's 3-2 loss to Binghamton, there wasn't a stretch of more than 3:28 where the game was played 5-on-5. For offensively-minded guys like Nick Cousins, a period full of penalties means sitting on the bench.

"It sucks," Cousins said after tonight's loss to Binghamton, referring to the penalty-filled second period that kept him off the ice. "It sucks to watch our team go on the penalty kill and block shots. I'm not involved at all. Sitting on the bench for eight or nine minutes and then getting up to stretch my legs on a TV timeout. It sucks."

The Phantoms battled back to within one goal in the third period after a Brandon Manning blast from the point eluded BSens goaltender Peter Mannino with 12:52 left, but that's as close as Lehigh Valley would get.

The Phantoms (22-21-4-1) have now dropped eight of their last 11 games, including four straight at home. They finish the weekend with two road contests - Saturday in Wilkes-Barre against the Penguins and Sunday in Springfield against the Falcons. Stay tuned here for full coverage of both Phantoms' road games this weekend, complete with live in-game updates on Twitter -> @TonyAndrock_TCG.



Not the start the Phantoms were looking for as the BSens took a 1-0 lead just 2:12 into the contest on what looked like a harmless floating wrist shot by Guillame Lepine - his first point of the season. Phantoms goaltender Rob Zepp was screened by his own defenseman on the shot.

Binghamton made it 2-0 later in the first period after excellent cycling by BSens forwards Carter Camper, Cole Schneider and Matt Puempel. Camper kept it in at the blue line and got the puck to Schneider, who found Puempel cutting to the net. Puempel's initial shot was stopped by Zepp, but the rebound came right back to him and he was able to convert on the put back attempt.

Things got heated late in the first period, as Binghamton's Buddy Robinson elbowed Robert Hagg and was subsequently challenged to a fight by Steven Delisle. Delisle busted Robinson's nose with a series of lefts before the BSens forward was assessed a major for elbowing,  for fighting and a game misconduct.

On the ensuing power play in the waning moments of the first, Cousins found the rebound of a Manning point shot with 1.2 seconds left to get Lehigh Valley on the board before the first intermission.

The second period was full of fights, questionable hits and power plays/penalty kills but surprisingly the only goal of the period (the eventual game-winner) came in the final minute before the second intermission. The BSens took a 3-1 lead on Shane Prince's team-leading 18th goal of the season and ultimately never looked back.


ROSTER NOTES

Rob Zepp (29 saves - 32 shots) got the start in net tonight for the Phantoms, with rookie Martin Ouellette backing him up.

On defense, Adam Comrie returned to the lineup for Jesper Pettersson while forward Darroll Powe returned from a 17-game absence from an upper body injury suffered December 27th vs. Norfolk. Derek Mathers was the healthy scratch up front.

Scratches: Mark Alt (broken hand - out since 12/31), Jesper Pettersson (healthy), Shayne Gostisbehere (ACL surgery in November), Blair Jones (lower body) and Derek Mathers (healthy).

Lines

Taylor Leier - Jason Akeson - Andrew Gordon
Petr Straka - Nick Cousins - Zack Stortini
Jay Rosehill - Austin Fyten - Brett Hextall
Darroll Powe - Kevin Goumas - Brandon Alderson

Brandon Manning - Robert Hagg
Adam Comrie - Brett Flemming
Oliver Lauridsen - Steven Delisle

Rob Zepp - Martin Ouellette

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

2:12: BNG - Lepine (1) - Greening, Dzingel
11:34: BNG - Robinson, minor (roughing)
11:34: LV - Leier, minor (roughing)
11:34: LV - (PP) Leier, minor (charging)
13:08: BNG - (PP) Puempel, minor (interference)
16:42: BNG - Puempel (12) - Schneider, Camper
17:01: BNG - Robinson, major (fighting)
17:01: BNG - (PP) Robinson, major (elbowing)
17:01: BNG - Robinson, game misconduct
17:01: LV - (PP) Delisle, minor (unsportsmanlike)
17:01: LV - Delisle, major (fighting)
18:30: BNG - Puempel, minor (roughing)
18:30: LV - Hagg, minor (elbowing)
19:58: LV - Cousins (16) - Manning, Akeson

2nd Period

2:44: BNG - (PP) Bench minor, unsportsmanlike
5:48: LV - (PP) Rosehill, minor (elbowing)
5:48: LV - (PP) Rosehill, minor (holding)
6:50: LV - (PP) Hagg, minor (delay of game)
9:38: LV - (PP) Akeson, minor (hooking)
11:44: BNG - (PP) Kramer, minor (roughing)
11:44: BNG - Kramer, major (fighting)
11:44: LV - Delisle, major (fighting)
11:44: LV - Delisle, game misconduct (2nd fight rule)
15:22: BNG - Lepine, major (fighting)
15:22: LV - Rosehill, major (fighting)
15:22: LV - Rosehill, ten minute misconduct
16:20: BNG - Mills, minor (interference)
18:47: LV - (PP) Leier, minor (slashing)
19:24: BNG - PPG Prince (18) - Puempel, A. Grant

3rd Period

2:02: BNG - Mills, minor (roughing)
2:02: LV - Flemming, minor (roughing)
5:05: BNG - (PP) Johnson, minor (hooking)
6:26: BNG - (PP) Mills, minor (high-sticking)
7:08: LV - PPG Manning (9) - Cousins, Akeson