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| Syracuse Crunch goaltender Adam Wilcox had a career night against Lehigh Valley. Photo: Nina Weiss/Highland Park Hockey |
It was not for lack of effort or control of tonight's game that the Lehigh Valley Phantoms came away from Syracuse Wednesday night with no points in the standings. They simply ran into a hot goaltender.
The Phantoms fired a season-high 50 shots on net but Syracuse Crunch goaltender Adam Wilcox stood on his head - stopping 48 of those 50 shots and really kept his team afloat throughout the contest despite being largely out-played.
Lehigh Valley took a 1-0 lead midway through the first, but two goals 21 seconds apart by Syracuse had the home team in front and the Phantoms playing catch up for most of the night.
Cole Bardreau tallied his second goal of the night midway through the third to even the score at 2-2 but a late goal by Matt Taormina with 2:25 left and a shorthanded/empty net tally in the final seconds preserved the win for the Crunch, who maintain their lead in the North Division with the 4-2 win.
Quick recap of events after the jump.
The Phantoms and Crunch traded early unsuccessful power plays, with the Crunch's best chance actually coming on Lehigh Valley's first man advantage chance of the night.
Michael Peca whacked a puck off the boards and past the Phantoms' defense at the offensive zone blue line, and raced up ice 2-on-1 with Cory Conacher. Peca tried to out-wait the Phantoms' lone defender, but tapped a pass across to Conacher at the backdoor at the last possible second and his shot on Lyon was stopped by the Phantoms' netminder to keep the game scoreless.
The end to end action continued, and while the game remained scoreless through the first half of the period the flood gates soon opened.
After an offensive zone face-off win by Radel Fazleev, the Phantoms newly-formed fourth line held the puck in the zone and cycled the puck beautifully for almost an entire minute - tiring out the Crunch defense and taking a 1-0 lead.
Corban Knight got the puck down low in the corner and spotted an open Cole Bardreau in front. The pass was on the money, and Bardreau fired one past Adam Wilcox at the 11:57 mark to open the scoring on his third goal of the season.
The Phantoms' lead was short lived. however, as on the following shift a great individual effort from Peca evened the game at 1-1. Peca came into the offensive zone with speed, beat a Phantoms' defender on the edge and cut into the middle - firing a shot on Lyon. Lyon made the initial save but Peca was able to muscle his way to the rebound for a finish to the top shelf for his 5th of the season just 32 seconds after Bardreau's goal gave Lehigh Valley a lead.
The Crunch weren't done there either, scoring on their next shot just 21 seconds later to take a 2-1 lead. Jake Dotchin's point shot through traffic eluded Lyon and gave Syracuse the lead. Dotchin's second tally of the season was assisted by Yanni Gourde and Michael Bournival.
In all, it was three goals separated by just 53 seconds. Hectic hockey.
Syracuse registered the first four shots of the second period, but Lehigh Valley dominated the majority of the middle frame - out shooting the Crunch by a 16-8 margin in the period.
The difference in second period was Crunch goaltender Adam Wilcox, who made several spectacular saves to keep his team ahead 2-1. The Phantoms had three straight power plays in the middle part of the period, and although they were able to generate a ton of offensive zone time and shots the Crunch goaltender stood tall to keep his team in front heading to the third period.
As the third period began, it seemed like it would take 50 shots to solve Wilcox. Luckily for Lehigh Valley, it only took 41.
The Phantoms continued firing pucks on the Crunch netminder with regularity in the third period but he kept coming up with the necessary - especially on Lehigh Valley's power plays.
It wasn't until a stint of four-on-four hockey midway through the third period that Lehigh Valley was able to tie things up at 2-2.
The Phantoms' fourth line was at it again, as Knight got a puck in the neutral zone and skated it into the offensive zone - sending a cross-ice pass to Bardreau. Bardreau's intial shot was stopped, but he got to the rebound and fired it home with 9:20 left in regulation.
Unfortunately for Lehigh Valley, the Crunch took the lead back and held on for the win - with Matt Taormina pouncing on a Phantoms' defensive zone turnover and blasting a point shot past Lyon with 2:25 left in regulation.
The Phantoms had one last ditch effort in the final 1:37 of play with Lyon pulled for the extra attacker and a 6-on-4 power play chance, but to no avail. Syracuse added an empty net tally in the waning seconds to complete the 4-2 final score.
The Phantoms continued firing pucks on the Crunch netminder with regularity in the third period but he kept coming up with the necessary - especially on Lehigh Valley's power plays.
It wasn't until a stint of four-on-four hockey midway through the third period that Lehigh Valley was able to tie things up at 2-2.
The Phantoms' fourth line was at it again, as Knight got a puck in the neutral zone and skated it into the offensive zone - sending a cross-ice pass to Bardreau. Bardreau's intial shot was stopped, but he got to the rebound and fired it home with 9:20 left in regulation.
Unfortunately for Lehigh Valley, the Crunch took the lead back and held on for the win - with Matt Taormina pouncing on a Phantoms' defensive zone turnover and blasting a point shot past Lyon with 2:25 left in regulation.
The Phantoms had one last ditch effort in the final 1:37 of play with Lyon pulled for the extra attacker and a 6-on-4 power play chance, but to no avail. Syracuse added an empty net tally in the waning seconds to complete the 4-2 final score.
ROSTER NOTES - Phantoms
Alex Lyon (30 saves - 33 shots) got the start in net for Lehigh Valley tonight in Syracuse. Martin Ouellette served as the team's backup.
Mark Alt is skating at practice with the Phantoms in a red no-contact jersey. While he's not expected back until the end of the month, it's always a good sign to see a guy get back on the ice with the team after an extended absence. Alt's shoulder injury in the September 28th NHL preseason game against the New Jersey Devils required surgery and he hasn't played in a game yet this year.
Scratches: Steven Swavely (healthy) and Max Lamarche (healthy)
Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)
Greg Carey - Scott Laughton - Colin McDonald
Danick Martel - Jordan Weal - Chris Conner
Mark Zengerle - Andy Miele - Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Corban Knight - Radel Fazleev - Cole Bardreau
T.J. Brennan - Reece Willcox
Sam Morin - Travis Sanheim
Will O'Neill - Robert Hagg
Alex Lyon - Martin Ouellette
GAME SUMMARY
1st Period
1:36: LV - (PP) Miele, minor (slashing)
5:56: SYR - (PP) Richard, minor (high-sticking)
11:57: LV - Bardreau (3) - Knight
12:29: SYR - Peca (5) - Condra, Erne
12:50: SYR - Dotchin (2) - Gourde, Bournival
17:04: LV - (PP) Fazleev, minor (slashing)
2nd Period
3:54: LV - Bardreau, minor (roughing)
3:54: SYR - Dotchin, minor (holding)
6:18: SYR - (PP) Taormina, minor (slashing)
8:23: SYR - (PP) Richard, minor (cross-checking)
13:13: SYR - (PP) Wilcox, minor (tripping)
16:14: LV - Miele, minor (cross-checking)
16:14: SYR - Walcott, minor (roughing)
3rd Period
9:11: LV - Weal, minor (roughing)
9:11: SYR - Dotchin, minor (roughing)
10:40: LV - Bardreau (4) - Knight, O'Neill
11:56: LV - (PP) Martel, minor (roughing)
17:35: SYR - Taormina (7) - Erne, Condra
18:23: SYR - (PP) Walcott, minor (hooking)
19:39: SYR - EN/SH Gourde (6) - Condra
9:11: SYR - Dotchin, minor (roughing)
10:40: LV - Bardreau (4) - Knight, O'Neill
11:56: LV - (PP) Martel, minor (roughing)
17:35: SYR - Taormina (7) - Erne, Condra
18:23: SYR - (PP) Walcott, minor (hooking)
19:39: SYR - EN/SH Gourde (6) - Condra
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