Phantoms Split Weekend Series Against Bridgeport

Nicolas Aube-Kubel tallied his first pro goal in another Phantoms win. Photo: Nina Weiss/The Home News

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms carried the momentum from the third period of last night's game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and came into Webster Bank Arena with a dominant performance in a 4-1 win - out shooting the Sound Tigers by as much as a 31-9 margin after two periods.

The incoming prospects continue to shine, as Travis Sanheim picked up his first career pro point on a power play assist on Robert Hagg's opening goal of the game while promising forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel sniped one to the top shelf from the left-wing circle in the third period for his first pro goal.

Anthony Stolarz rebounded well from last night's game where he allowed five goals, stopping all but one of the 28 shots he faced. In fact, Stolarz was less than 20 seconds away from his first shutout of the season before Tyler Barnes got one in past him with 18.7 seconds left in the contest.

Only three more games left on the season for Lehigh Valley (33-33-4-3), who have a week of practice ahead of themselves before one final three-game weekend beginning Friday night at home against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.



RECAP

The Phantoms came out with a much better effort in the first period tonight in Bridgeport than they did last night against these same Sound Tigers in Allentown. Similar to the third period last night, the Phantoms controlled a majority of the play and spent much of the opening period in the offensive zone - out shooting Bridgeport 15-4 and taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Cole Bardreau won a face-off back to Travis Sanheim at the tail end of a power play and Sanheim was able to walk the blue line and keep the puck in the zone, dishing it to Robert Hagg before Hagg sent the puck down low to Tayor Leier. Leier banked one off the boards back up top to Hagg who fired a quick shot that eluded Parker Milner through a screen set in front by Colin McDonald to give the Phantoms a power play tally and a 1-0 lead 8:15 into the period.

The secondary assist by Sanheim was his first pro point, making a nice play to keep Bardreau's face-off win in the offensive zone and protecting the puck along the blue line before getting over to Hagg to start the pass back and forth between Hagg and Leier to set up the eventual goal.

The two teams traded power plays in the second half of the period, but the Phantoms PK stood tall - not allowing much of anything to get through to goaltender Anthony Stolarz who made his second straight start in net in back-to-back nights.

The Phantoms didn't trail off to start the second period, instead taking a 2-0 lead just 13 seconds into the middle frame on a good effort by Leier to get to a rebound in the crease after Milner had trouble holding onto a hard shot from McDonald from the right wing atop the face-off circle. Reece Willcox added an assist on the play for his second pro point (1G-1A in four games).

Lehigh Valley continue to dominate play, and made it 3-0 late in the period at the tail end of a four minute power play. Danick Martel entered the zone with speed and fired a hard wrist shot from the slot, but it clanked off the post and off Milner before Sam Morin was able to race into the crease to slam it home with 2:36 left before the second intermission. Phil DeSimone added a second assist on the play in his return to the lineup.

Bridgeport began to get more pucks on net in the third period, entering the final frame being out shot 31-9, but it was to no avail. Instead, Nicolas Aube-Kubel gathered a puck behind the Sound Tigers net and wheeled out in front to the left-wing face-off dot before sniping one past Milner high to the blocker side to make it 4-0.

Things got nasty late as Matt Carkner took exception to a spear from Danick Martel and jumped on top of him throwing punches with 4:06 left in regulation. Both players received major penalties and game misconducts, but the game ended peacefully.

Unfortunately for Stolarz, his shutout bid was broken with 18.7 seconds left as Tyler Barnes scored his second goal in as many nights to complete the final score of 4-1.

ROSTER NOTES - Phantoms

Anthony Stolarz ( 27 saves - 28 shots) got his second straight start in net in back-to-back nights for the Phantoms. Connor Knapp served as the team's backup.

Two lineup changes for Lehigh Valley, as Adam Comrie and Petr Straka sat as healthy scratches while Travis Sanheim and Phil DeSimone returned to the Phantoms' lineup.

Scratches: Jason LaBarbera (out for the season), Christian Marti (healthy), Tyrell Goulbourne (healthy), Michael Parks (out for the season), Aaron Palushaj (healthy), Radel Fazleev (out for the season), Petr Straka (healthy) Adam Comrie (healthy), Jay Rosehill (suspended - two more games) & Logan Pyett (out for the season)

Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)

Oskar Lindblom - Tim Brent - Chris Conner (A)
Taylor Leier - Cole Bardreau - Colin McDonald (C)
Danick Martel - Steven Swavely - Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Dalton Smith - Phil DeSimone - Pavel Padakin

Sam Morin - Mark Alt
Davis Drewiske - Reece Willcox
Travis Sanheim - Robert Hagg

Anthony Stolarz - Connor Knapp

GAME SUMMARY 

1st Period

6:19: BST - (PP) Barnes, minor (high-sticking)
8:15: LV - PPG Hagg (4) - Leier, Sanheim
9:19: LV - (PP) Brent, minor (hooking)
12:04: BST - (PP) Florek, minor (high-sticking)
17:24: LV - (PP) Smith, minor (interference)

2nd Period

0:13: LV - Leier (20) - McDonald, Willcox
4:05: BST - Carkner, major (fighting)
4:05: LV - Smith, major (fighting)
5:54: BST - (PP) Gomes, minor (slashing)
10:44: LV - (PP) Willcox, minor (hooking)
13:32: BST - (PP) Carkner, minor (hooking)
13:32: BST - (PP) Carkner, minor (unsportsmanlike)
17:24: LV - PPG Morin (4) - DeSimone, Martel

3rd Period

1:14: LV - (PP) Bardreau, double-minor (high-sticking)
4:49: BST - (PP) Schempp, minor (holding)
7:54: LV - Aube-Kubel (1) - unassisted
9:39: LV - (PP) Hagg, minor (slashing)
15:54: LV - DeSimone, ten-minute misconduct
15:54: LV - Martel, major (spearing)
15:54: LV - Martel, game misconduct
15:54: BST - (PP) Carkner, minor (boarding)
15:54: BST - Carkner, major (fighting)
15:54: BST - Carkner, game misconduct
15:54: BST - B. Holmstrom, ten-minute misconduct
19:41: BST - Barnes (2) - Schempp, Lafranchise