Phantoms Prevail In Shootout Over Norfolk

Phantoms and Admirals battle again tomorrow night at PPL Center.

The two points don't mean anything in the standings, but that doesn't mean the Lehigh Valley Phantoms locker room wasn't fired up after tonight's thrilling 2-1 shootout win over the Norfolk Admirals.

Matt Bailey put Norfolk ahead 1-0 just 2:00 into the game after a shaky start by goaltender Rob Zepp, but the Phantoms netminder went on to stop 33 of the 34 shots he faced in 67 minutes of play - including two of three shooters in the shootout to lift his team to the win. 

Scott Laughton evened things up on a power play goal in the middle frame and also scored the deciding goal in the shootout after teammate Petr Straka followed up Shea Theodore's shootout goal for Norfolk in the 2nd round.

These two teams rematch again tomorrow night at the PPL Center in downtown Allentown and head coach Terry Murray confirmed that Anthony Stolarz will be between the pipes for Lehigh Valley - his first action since finishing up March 25th's 6-1 loss to Syracuse and his first start since a 3/21 game in Worcester.



POST-GAME REACTIONS

Oliver Lauridsen on 1st period timeout:

I guess we started alright, then we had two shifts in a row where everything just crumbled. We stood and watched and we've been doing a little bit too much of that the past two games. He took the timeout and just let us know that this isn't good enough. We might as well get it taken of four minutes into the game instead of waiting to address it after two periods. I thought a little shaky first period, but at least the last 40 was really good.

Scott Laughton on his shootout goal:

Kind of a move I do from junior where I come in and try to pump fake him and go back-hand five-hole. 

Cole Bardreau on tonight's win:

Anytime that you're going through a little bit of a slump, it's nice to get the win whether it's against the best team in the league or the worst team in the league. We had a little bit of a slow start there, but we had good responses between periods and guys finished their hits, the energy was there and we were able to turn it around.

Bardreau on his first AHL overtime:

It was awesome. We do 5-on-5 in college so it was cool to get down to the 3 vs. 3 and open up the ice and get out there. A little nerve racking but definitely a good experience. I think it leads to more scoring and it's better for the fans too. 

GAME RECAP

The Phantoms had a chance or two in the opening shifts, but it was another sloppy start for Lehigh Valley. Joseph Cramarossa got a puck down low to Matt Bailey, who caught Zepp looking the wrong way and sneaked a wrap-around past the Phantoms netminder 2:00 into play to give the Admirals an early 1-0 lead.

Things weren't looking much better with 15:46 left in the first period, so head coach Terry Murray took his timeout and voiced his frustrations. Out of the timeout, Jason Akeson blasted a slapshot on net and Cole Bardreau and Kevin Goumas nearly teamed up for a goal off a Norfolk turnover in the Phantoms' offensive zone, but Admirals goaltender Ryan Faragher made some nice stops to keep his team ahead in the opening half of the first frame.

The action picked up in the second period, with the Phantoms earning the game's first power play in the opening minutes of the middle frame. The Phantoms were unable to convert, but shortly after the penalty expired Derek Mathers and John Kurtz droppd the gloves.

The Phantoms made their 2nd man advantage count after Josh Manson got the gate for interference 8:07 into the middle period. Jason Akeson got a puck across the point to Adam Comrie, who found Scott Laughton on the right-wing half wall. Laughton fired a high and hard wrister that beat Faragher 19 seconds into the power play to tie things up at 1-1. Credit Zack Stortini with an excellent screen in front of the Admirals goaltender to allow the play to happen.

Laughton's goal was the Phantoms' first tally in 159:19 of hockey, after being shutout in back-to-back games by W-B/Scranton's Matt Murray and not tallying a goal since the 3rd period of last Friday's 4-3 loss in Binghamton.

The penalty parade continued midway through the hockey game, but the score remained knotted at 1-1 heading into the third period.

Both goaltenders played well tonight and both stopped 33 of 34 shots. Norfolk's Faragher robbed Andrew Gordon's mini-breakaway in the third and made several nice stops in the overtime - robbing Adam Comrie with his right pad on a 2-on-1 rush during the 3-on-3 in the waning moments of overtime.

ROSTER NOTES

Rob Zepp (33 saves - 34 shots) got the start in net tonight - his 9th straight start between the pipes. First year netminder Anthony Stolarz remained the team's backup. Head coach Terry Murray said Stolarz will get the start in net tomorrow.

There were no changes on defense. Nick Luukko remained the team's seventh defenseman and a healthy scratch on the back end.

Brett Hextall was missing from warmups tonight and did not play. Hextall missed the game with an illness.

Kevin Goumas returned to the Phantoms lineup after missing the last two games with an upper body injury suffered last Friday night in Binghamton.

Scratches: Austin Fyten (lower body), Shayne Gostisbehere (ACL surgery), Brett Hextall (undisclosed), Darroll Powe (concussion symptoms) and Nick Luukko (healthy)

Lines

Taylor Leier - Scott Laughton - Andrew Gordon
Petr Straka - Blair Jones - Jason Akeson
Kevin Goumas - Cole Bardreau - Zack Stortini
Jay Rosehill - Andrew Johnston - Derek Mathers

Robert Hagg - Steven Delisle
Adam Comrie - Mark Alt
Oliver Lauridsen - Jesper Pettersson

Rob Zepp - Anthony Stolarz

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

2:00: NOR - Bailey (6) - Cramarossa, Czarnik

2nd Period

1:34: NOR - (PP) McIver, minor (high-sticking)
4:15: NOR - Kurtz, major (fighting)
4:15: LV - Mathers, major (fighting)
8:07: NOR - (PP) Manson, minor (interference)
8:26: LV - PPG - Laughton (12) - Comrie, Akeson
9:22: LV - (PP) Bench minor, too many men (served by Johnston)
12:12: NOR - (PP) Bailey, minor (high-sticking)
17:53: LV - (PP) Comrie, minor (interference)

3rd Period

2:47: LV - (PP) Alt, minor (hooking)
11:46: NOR - (PP) Cznarnik, minor (slashing)
19:34: NOR - (PP) Sgarbossa, minor (slashing)

Overtime

No Scoring or Penalties

Shootout

LV

Akeson - no goal
Straka - GOAL
Laughton - GOAL

NOR

Noesen - no goal
Theodore - GOAL
Friberg - no goal