Ronnie Attard Scores in OT After Three Tying Goals by Marody
March 11, 2023
Lehigh Valley, PA – Cooper Marody’s hat trick goal with the goaltender pulled and just 48.5 seconds left forced overtime and set up Ronnie Attard’s overtime winner to drive the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to their 1,000th victory in franchise history on Saturday night at PPL Center in a 4-3 triumph over the Belleville Senators.
Marody upped his season total to 11 goals by scoring five goals on the weekend including his fourth career hat trick and his first for the Phantoms. His attempt to pass across the slot to Garrett Wilson was blocked back at him setting up the dramatic equalizer. Each of Marody’s three goals pulled the Phantoms to even after the team had trailed on three different occasions. It was the second hat trick of the season for Lehigh Valley along with Garrett Wilson’s trifecta on February 20 at Hartford. The accomplishment also marked the eighth PPL Center hat trick in Phantoms’ history.
But after the flying sombreros were scooped up and carried away there was still work to be done.
Following a hard-fought penalty kill in the overtime and six saves for Sam Ersson through the 3-on-3 session, Lehigh Valley (30-22-6) surged back with a steal in the Belleville zone by Adam Brooks to set up a dashing Ronnie Attard on the right side of the slot who fired in the game-winner as the frenzied crowd celebrated the incredibly exciting finish for Los Fantasmas on Hockey Fiesta Weekend. Brooks finished the night with three helpers in his third consecutive multi-point game. The spark-plug center has racked up two goals with six assists for eight points in his last three games.
John Quenneville (3rd, 4th) scored two goals for Belleville (25-27-7). The former New Jersey first-rounder opened the scoring for Belleville only 2:57 into the game to begin a see-saw tilt. After Sam Ersson denied an initial center-point shot from Lassi Thomson, Quenneville buried the rebound to Ersson’s right.
Less than five minutes later, the Phantoms found the equalizer on a power-play chance. An initial shot from the perimeter went wide of the B-Sens’ cage, but a fortuitous bounce led to a loose puck sitting in the blue paint for Marody’s first tally at 7:24 as he reached in with a backhand touch from the right of the cage to beat B-Sens goalie Ryan Bednar.
In the second period, it was déjà vu all over again, as Quenneville struck for Belleville, followed by another equalizer by Marody.
Less than two minutes after Quenneville scored his fourth goal of the season at 3:55 on the back-end of a two-on-one, Marody would strike again with help from Adam Brooks and Garrett Wilson. A shot from Wilson was deflected en route by Brooks, and Marody was at the right place, right time to clean up the loose rebound at 5:12. Wilson’s secondary assist marked his 20th helper of the season, second-best on the Phantoms to only Olle Lycksell (26). Before the frame expired, Belleville again regained a skinny, one-goal advantage with a go-ahead, power-play goal by Roby Jarventie who sniped from the left circle on an odd-mad rush beating Ersson to the stick side at 11:52.
But in the third period, the never say die Lehigh Valley Phantoms found the late equalizer on a 6-on-5 advantage. Following a timeout called by Ian Laperriere and Sam Ersson pulled for the extra attacker, Marody blasted home his sharp-angle chance at 19:11 to tie the score at 3-3.
In overtime, Lehigh Valley’s penalty kill unit put forth a tremendous effort to deny Belleville the winning goal during a full two-minute 4-on-3 chance. The Phantoms held Belleville to 1-for-6 on the man advantage.
After the successful kill, Marody set up Ronnie Attard (10th) along the right wing for the game-winner at 4:12 of the extra session.
The Phantoms claimed their 30th win of the regular season, along with their 65th and 66th standings points of the season, and fourth consecutive victory as well as their 1,000th all-time win in franchise history since the beginning of the Philadelphia Phantoms in 1996. The Phantoms became the eighth team in AHL history to win 1,000 games.
Los Fantasmas are back and will look to keep rolling and sweep a three games in three nights stretch on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. against the Utica Comets at PPL Center. It’s meLVin Youth Jersey Day (first 2,000 kids age 14 and younger) and Hockey Fiesta Weekend!
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 2:57 – BEL J. Quenneville (3) (L. Thomson, M. Heard) 0-1
1st 7:24 – LV C. Marody (9) (A. Brooks, L. Belpedio) (PP) 1-1
2nd 3:55 – BEL J. Quenneville (4) (M. Heard, C. Cassels) 1-2
2nd 5:12 – LV C. Marody (10) (A. Brooks, G. Wilson) 2-2
2nd 11:52 – BEL R. Jarventie (11) (Unassisted) (PP) 2-3
Shots:
LV 19 – BEL 8
PP:
LV 1/2, BEL 1/3
Goalies:
LV – S. Ersson (W) (19-11-1) (15/18)
BEL – R. Bednard (OTL) (0-0-1) (28/32)
Records:
Lehigh Valley (30-22-6)
Belleville (25-27-7)
Phantoms Tickets are available HERE
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Sunday, March 12 (4:05) vs. UTICA COMETS
Wednesday, March 15 (7:05) vs. HERSHEY BEARS
Friday, March 17 (7:05) vs. HERSHEY BEARS
Sunday, March 19 (4:05) vs. WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Sunday, March 12 (4:05) vs. Utica Comets – meLVin Youth Jersey Day (first 2,000 kids age 14 and younger) and Hockey Fiesta Weekend
Wednesday, March 15 (7:05) vs. Hershey Bears – Truist Night. Chamber of Commerce Night. $2 Pregame Happy Hour Beers
Friday, March 17 (7:05) vs. Hershey Bears – St. Patrick’s Day! Whiteout Night. $1 Hot Dogs
Sunday, March 19 (4:05) vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – Prospect Pack Trading Card Sets for First 5,000 Fans
