Brilliant Bjarnason Brings the Barricade

Powell Scores Winner at Hartford

October 14, 2026

Hartford, CT – Carson Bjarnason was magnificent throughout a 24-save performance in lifting the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (1-2-1) to their first victory of the season in a 4-1 triumph at the Hartford Wolf Pack on Wednesday night. Noah Powell (1st) broke a 1-1 tie in the third period for the winning goal.

Carl Grundstrom (1st) scored in his first game back with the Phantoms. Alex Bump (3rd) and Cam Dineen (2nd) added long empty-netters at the end to seal the victory.

BOX SCORE

Bump has scored in three straight games since his arrival to the Phantoms last week and Grundstrom scored in his first game with Lehigh Valley.

But it was the 21-year-old netminder, Bjarnason, who stole the show. Some of his best saves came in the first period when Hartford developed a bevy of strong chances including on consecutive power plays.

The Phantoms found their game later in the first and almost broke through on their first power play. Bump and Grundstrom were denied back-to-back and then Grundstrom was absolutely robbed by a sterling denial from Callum Tung who pulled the splits while reaching across with the glove. Moments later, Nolan Foote cranked one off the post. Earlier in the period, Ilya Pautov found Zach Aston-Reese at the net-front for a point-blank chance that Tung rpelled as well.

After the initial sluggish start, the Phantoms successfully maintained late first period momentum into the second frame.

Cam Dineen thought he had scored early in the second period when he walked to the high slot and sniped past Tung. But the officials conferred about the play and determined that contact with the goaltender should result in the goal being disallowed which drew the attention and ire of head coach John Snowden.

Lehigh Valley kept up the pressure and eventually broke through in transition on a strong cross-ice pass from Jett Luchanko spotting Grundstrom on the back door whose one-time blast caught a piece of Tung but still deflected into the top of the cage at 16:21 for a 1-0 lead. Cole Knuble sent Luchanko scurrying up the left wing and received a secondary assist on the play.

Hartford (3-3-0) responded just 65 seconds later when veteran Taytor Raddysh maneuvered around a defenseman and carried from the right circle straight at Bjarnason ultimately becoming the only player to successfully put one past the Lehigh Valley goaltender with his little backhand flip top the far post.

Vincent Sevigny found a puck at center and connected with a rushing Ty Murchison who sped up the left wing with the defenseman carrying it all the way to the corner thus creating the opportunity to connect with rookie forward Noah Powell at the left dot who slammed home his big one-timer at 7:14 to put the Phantoms back in the lead at 2-1.

A few good saves and some key blocks down the stretch helped preserve the lead against Hartford’s desperation push. Hunter McDonald blocked a shot right at the net front and Alex Bump connected all the way down ice for a long empty-netter at 18:26.

Positive karma awaited Cam Dineen whose second goal of the season was taken off the board a period earlier. From the endboards, Dineen launched a lengthy cleer 190 feet the other way into the cage for another empty-net goal.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms continue the road trip this weekend with a pair of games at the Springfield Thunderbirds on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 6:00 p.m

The Phantoms return to PPL Center on Saturday, October 24 against the Syracuse Crunch and on Sunday, October 25 against the Belleville Senators featuring our award-winning PhanCon promotion followed by a Postgame Skate with the Phantoms players presented by NJM Insurance.

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