With two wins to end the weekend, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ magic number is now down to two. With a Phantoms win on Friday, they will clinch a spot in the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs.
John Muse and Dustin Tokarski combined to record two shutouts and backstopped the Phantoms to consecutive 3-0 wins on Saturday and Sunday.
Friday, Mar. 16th at Hartford Wolf Pack (4-3 SO loss)
The Phantoms’ only loss of the weekend came against the Wolf Pack in Hartford, losing in the shootout, 4-3.
The Phantoms got on the board first with a goal two minutes into the game. Danick Martel flipped a wrist shot from the point that was seemingly meant for Cole Bardreau to deflect it, and Bardreau did just that, redirecting the shot off the post and past a sliding Marek Mazanec.
Flip Chytil scored five minutes into the second period on a play that should’ve never happened. After the Phantoms miscommunicated, the puck sat at center ice between Greg Carey, Bardreau, Philippe Myers, and Reece Willcox. Bardreau skated past the puck, Carey dove to swat it from Cole Schneider before it got to Chytil, Willcox dove to stop Schyil, and Myers let Chytil skate by him. It was a play straight out of the Bad News Bears version of hockey.
A minute later, Mark Friedman scored his second goal of the season to re-take the lead. Danick Martel led the rush down the left wing and sent the puck to Friedman who snapped the puck into the net. 35 seconds later, the Wolf Pack re-tied the game courtesy of Cristoval Nieves. The goal came off a bad defensive zone giveaway by Willcox.
Two minutes after Nieves’ goal, Dan DeSalvo put the Wolf Pack in front, 3-2, after a slap shot from the point beat John Muse.
The Phantoms tied the game 55 seconds into the third period when Nicolas Aube-Kubelsent a neutral zone turnover by the Wolf Pack through the five-hold of Mazenec.
The game remained tied throughout the third period and overtime, meaning a shootout would be needed to end the game. Corban Knight, Mikhail Vorobyev, and Chris Connercould not score, and DeSalvo scored the lone shootout goal for the Wolf Pack to defeat the Phantoms, 4-3.
Muse saved 31 of 34 shots. Danick Martel recorded two assists and was named the second star of the game.
Saturday, Mar. 17th vs. Providence Bruins (3-0 win)
The Phantoms rebounded the next night at home against the Providence Bruins with a 3-0 shutout win.
The first goal of the game didn’t come until midway through the second period when Radel Fazleev scored his third goal of the season. Tyrell Goulbourne squeezed his way into the offensive zone and calmly backhanded the puck to Fazleev. Fazleev wristed the puck over Jordan Binnington’s blocker to put the Phantoms in the lead with a shorthanded goal.
With under two minutes left in the period, Phil Varone scored to put the Phantoms up 2-0. The goal again came while the Phantoms were shorthanded. Varone finessed the puck past Ryan Fitzgerald before shooting it by an aggressive Binnington for the goal.
Steven Swavely added the third goal with five minutes remaining in the third period after Binnington couldn’t strongly set aside Colin McDonald’s floating shot. Swavely put home the rebound, and the Phantoms won, 3-0.
Dustin Tokarski made 33 saves and was named First Star. Fazleev and Varone earned the Second and Third Star, respectively. On Monday, the AHL suspended Nicolas Aube-Kubel for two games following an illegal hit to the head. There was no penalty called on the play. He will miss the Phantoms’ games at Providence on Friday and Sunday.
Sunday, Mar. 18th vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (3-0 win)
The next day, the Phantoms posted an identical scoreline with a different goaltender – John Muse – to beat the Springfield Thunderbirds, 3-0.
The game remained scoreless until Danick Martel scored in the final minutes of the second period. After receiving a pass from Mikhail Vorobyev, he wristed a shot from the right circle that blew by Harri Sateri to make it 1-0.
In the third period, Phil Varone carried the puck down the right wing, and as penetrated the offensive zone, he turned on the jets to get some separation from Anthony Greco. Near the goal line, he passed the puck into the slot for Chris Conner, who was driving to the net, and Conner shot the puck past Sateri to make it 2-0 on the power play.
In the final minutes of the game, Alex Krushelnyski sped down the right wing before stopping, spinning, and passing the puck to Will O’Neill. O’Neill shot the puck on net, and it was deflected off Greg Carey’s body for the goal.
John Muse made 23 saves and was the First Star. Martel and Conner earned the Second and Third Star, respectively.
Stars of the Week
John Muse started Friday’s and Sundays’s games, losing 4-3 in a shootout on Friday against the Hartford Wolf Pack while making 31 saves and then saving 23 shots en route to a 3-0 shutout on Sunday against the Springfield Thunderbirds. He earned the first star on against Springfield. This season with Lehigh Valley, he has a record of 10-1-1 with a .931 save percentage. Sunday was his first shutout of the season.
Dustin Tokarski started Saturday’s game against the Providence Bruins and saved all 33 shots he faced en route to his fourth shutout of the season and second in four games. In 33 games this season, he has recorded a record of 17-7-5 and a .913 save percentage. Last season with the San Diego Gulls, he only played in 27 games and recorded a .898 save percentage. He, as well as Muse, has been a big help in stabilizing the Phantoms’ goaltender shuffling due to Anthony Stolarz’s, Michael Neuvirth’s, and Brian Elliott’s injuries.
Rinkside Notes
To make room for Anthony Stolarz’s rehab assignment with the Reading Royals, the Phantoms recalled Mark Dekanich from Reading to serve as the third goaltender for Lehigh Valley.
The Phantoms also recalled Steven Swavely from Reading for their games against Providence and Springfield, and then they sent him down on Monday in the morning before recalling him in the afternoon. He scored the third goal in the Phantoms’ 3-0 win over Providence hours after being called up. He has been sent down to Reading and recalled to Lehigh Valley eight times this season.
Upcoming Games
- Friday, 3/23 at Providence Bruins
- Saturday, 3/24 at Providence Bruins
Photo by Casey Liberatore/Sons of Penn
Originally published on SonsOfPenn.com