Phantoms Fall at Springfield
Lehigh Valley Eliminated from Playoff Contention
April 15, 2026
Springfield, MA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms were playing meaningful hockey almost to the very end of the season and had pushed their way back into contention with a pair of thrilling wins in the final home games of the season. But the Orange and Black were unable to carry over the momentum into their big midweek showdown in Springfield as the Thunderbirds ran away with a 7-1 win.
Springfield (31-31-8) clinched its entry into the Calder Cup Playoffs. Unfortunately, Lehigh Valley (30-34-6) was officially eliminated after having pulled tantalizingly close to the final spot entering the game.
Noah Powell scored for a second consecutive game on a third-period breakaway off a gorgeous, long stretch-pass by Helge Grans. But it wasn’t nearly enough as Akil Thomas (7th, 8th) and Dillon Dube (17th, 18th) paced the T-Birds’ attack with a pair of goals apiece.
Akil Thomas (7th) and Dylan Peterson (12th) from rookie Colin Ralph scored in the opening period for a 2-0 lead. Tucker Robertson and Oscar Eklind each had breakaway chances for the Phantoms in the first period and converting on either one of them could have changed the complexion of the contest. Robertson’s effort went through the right shoulder of goaltender Vadim Zherenko and then off the left-wing post. Zherenko had no idea the puck was immediately behind his right skate just inches from the line but a defenseman hustled in to sweep it away.
Michael Buchinger (6th) walked up from the blueline uncontested after Dube induced a defender to chase after him. Buchinger’s snipe from the right dot in the opening seconds of the second period made it 3-0.
Jack Berglund had a chance to score his first goal in the AHL on the rebound of a Jiriciek shot on the power play but Zherenko stuffed him with the pads. Late in the period, Berglund boarded Zach Dean which drew the attention of Hugh McGing who immediately dropped the gloves. Berglund’s first fight in North America was a fairly quick scrap. McGing took 17 minutes worth of penalties by instigating.
Lehigh Valley came out flying to begin the third period and was pushing hard into the Springfield zone looking to generate chances. But the Phntoms quickly got burned the other way when Aleksantari Kaskimaki connected with Chris Wagner for a 2-on-1 with Dube burying it just 47 seconds into the third period to make it 4-0.
Powell got one back for Lehigh Valley’s only goal of the night when he rifled a shot on the rush past the glove of Zherenko on a tremendous, long stretch-pass by Grans. The Phantoms had cut it to 4-1 at 2:02 into the third period but the T-Birds would be quick to respond again. Dube scored from the right boards shortly after a faceoff win beating Kolosov to the short side past the glove at 2:54 to make it 5-1.
Kaskimaki (19th) pounced on a rebound off the right pad of Kolosov and, from the left of the crease, nudged a backhander to the far post at 5:50 to make it 6-1. That was it for Kolosov who was pulled for the first time this season. Akil Thomas greeted Carson Bjarnason into the game with a big one-timer in the slot just seconds later to provide for the 7-1 final.
The Phantoms conclude the regular season with a pair of games at the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday at 4:00 and Sunday at 1:00.
Goals by Period
Shots by Period
Goal Scorers
Goaltenders
Three Stars
Charlotte Checkers
Charlotte Checkers
