Penguins Shutout Phantoms 3-0 To Conclude Three-Game Weekend

Phantoms playoff hopes fading fast after third straight loss.

It feels like it's been the same old story for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms all weekend long. Fall behind 2-0 despite largely outplaying their opponent and unable to recover.

Tonight against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Phantoms came out firing - registering the first eight shots on goal and heading to the first intermission in a scoreless tie.

The tides turned in the middle frame and two Penguins goals 63 seconds apart proved to be the difference. First, it was Penguins captain Tom Kostopoulos picking a corner on Phantoms goaltender Rob Zepp 11:15 into the 2nd period. Then, on the next shift, Bobby Farnham picked up a nicely placed chip into the zone by Brian Dumoulin and blasted a slap shot past Zepp.

The Phantoms out shot the Penguins 14-2 in the third period but were unable to get one past the brick wall that is Matt Murray, who recorded his 10th shutout of the season making 32 saves in the game. Scott Harrington added an empty net goal with 0.8 seconds left to cap the scoring at 3-0.

Post-game thoughts from Taylor Leier and Brett Hextall after the jump.



POST-GAME REACTION

Taylor Leier's thoughts:

Until they scored those two goals pretty close together, we were playing good. We controlled most of the game. It hasn't really seemed to be going in lately and it's been the same old story this weekend.

Brett Hextall on dominating play but not being rewarded:

Good teams and good players make you pay. We need to be sharper in our own end. That team is the top defensive team in the league. They get up two goals and that's textbook for them, that's what they want to do. Just getting it deep and sitting back. 

More Hextall:

Yeah, it's frustrating but you just keep at it. That's our attitude. For us, it's just keep at it, keep chipping away and keep grinding. Eventually we'll get 'em. You'll see here one of these games we will score six goals. When it rains, it pours and the other way around too, right?

ROSTER NOTES - Phantoms

Rob Zepp (16 saves - 18 shots) got the start in net tonight for Lehigh Valley, while Anthony Stolarz served as backup after getting the start last night in Worcester.

As expected after a 6-1 loss, there were several lineup changes.

On defense, Jesper Pettersson returned to the lineup after sitting out as a healthy scratch the last two games and was in for Steven Delisle. Delisle left last night's game in the 1st period with an upper body ailment, but later returned.

Up front, Blair Jones was assessed a one-game suspension for his illegal check to the head penalty in Hartford on Friday that he served today. Austin Fyten (lower body) was also scratched, allowing some fresh bodies to enter the lineup in Kevin Goumas and Derek Mathers.

Scratches: Steven Delisle (upper body), Austin Fyten (lower body) and Shayne Gostisbehere (ACL injury) and Blair Jones (suspended)

Lines

Taylor Leier - Scott Laughton - Jason Akeson
Zack Stortini - Darroll Powe - Andrew Gordon
Petr Straka - Cole Bardreau - Brett Hextall
Jay Rosehill - Kevin Goumas - Derek Mathers

Brandon Manning - Mark Alt
Adam Comrie - Robert Hagg
Oliver Lauridsen - Jesper Pettersson

Rob Zepp - Anthony Stolarz

ROSTER NOTES - Penguins

Matt Murray (32 saves - 32 shots) got the start in net for W-B/Scranton with Jeff Zatkoff backing him up.

With injuries to Conor Sheary and Barry Goers, the Penguins had no healthy scratches. All healthy bodies were in the lineup.

Scratches: Reid McNeill (upper body), Nick Drazenovic (lower body), Bryan Rust (lower body), Anton Zlobin (out for season), Barry Goers and Conor Sheary.

Lines

Scott Wilson - Jayson Megna - Tom Kostopoulos
Tom Kuhnhackl - Carter Rowney - Dominik Uher
Bobby Farnham - Matia Marcantuoni - Josh Archibald
Pierre-Luc Leblond - Jean-Sebastien Dea - Adam Payerl

Brian Dumoulin - Taylor Chorney
Derrick Pouliot - Scott Harrington
Danny Syvret - Nick D'Agostino

Matt Murray - Jeff Zatkoff

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

1:12: WBS - (PP) Uher, minor (holding)
18:52: WBS - Archibald, major (fighting)
18:52: LV - Akeson, major (fighting)
18:52: LV - (PP) Stortini, minor (roughing)

2nd Period

1:43: LV - (PP) Straka, minor (interference)
11;15: WBS - Kostopoulos (15) - Marcantuoni
12:18: WBS - Farnham (5) - Dumoulin, Chorney
16:08: LV - (PP) Stortini, minor (boarding)
19:29: WBS - Farnham, minor (unsportsmanlike)
19:29: LV - Stortini, minor (unsportsmanlike)

3rd Period

7:27: WBS - (PP) Marcantuoni, minor (tripping)
19:59: WBS - Harrington (2) - unassisted