Phantoms Rock P-Bruins 5-1
February 4, 2022
Lehigh Valley, PA – Hayden Hodgson (10, 11) scored a pair of goals for a third time this season and Wyatte Wylie had his second three-point game in two weeks to lead the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to a 5-1 win over the Providence Bruins on Friday night at PPL Center. Lehigh Valley (15-15-8) hits the midway mark of the season with an even .500 record. The Phantoms have played 38 games in the regular season and have 38 remaining.
Hodgson pushed past Garrett Wilson to take the team-lead in goals with his first period quick-attack strike and his third-period blast on set ups by Maksim Sushko and Isaac Ratcliffe. Wyatte Wylie had a pair of helpers in the first period including one in which he found a wide-open Morgan Frost on the backdoor. He added his second goal of the season on a point-drive early in the third period.
Morgan Frost returned to the Phantoms for the first time in over two months and scored in the first period while adding an assist in the third. Frost now carries an unusual three-game goal streak that includes goals in games on November 19 and November 20 immediately before his recall to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Felix Sandstrom had a strong performance with 25 saves on 26 shots for the win.
Cal O’Reilly (9th) opened the scoring in the first period just 2:35 into the game almost by accident. From over in the corner, he quickly fired a pass to the slot that bounced off a Bruins’ defender and into the net. The team-leader in points now with 28 tacked on an assist later in the game.
Linus Sandin dished to Wylie in the right circle who drew Providence goalie Troy Grosenick to the right-wing side of the cage. Frost was open for the backdoor conversion on some nice vision by Wylie. It was Frost’s fourth of the season with the Phantoms who took a 2-0 lead with 5:15 remaining in the first.
The Phantoms made it a three-goal opening period for the second time in a week when Hodgson would receive a nifty connection from Maksim Sushko on the rush. Hodgson knocked it home right on top of Grosenick with 4:38 remaining in the opening frame for a 3-0 advantage at the break.
The P-Bruins had some decent push-back in the second period and also got on the board on a goal for Jesper Froden (9th) deflecting a shot from center-point by Viktor Berglund. The goal was initially credited to Berglund but was changed on a scoring correction later.
Sandstrom made some big saves through an entertaining, back-and-forth second period to keep the Phantoms up by a pair.
Lehigh Valley took charge again in the third period with a 14-6 shots advantage the rest of the way to make sure Providence couldn’t entertain further thoughts of climbing back into contention. Wylie’s shot from the point squeaked through a screened Grosenick with Garrett Wilson getting in his way. The second goal of the season from the second-year defenseman was assisted by Sandin and Frost for a 4-1 lead just barely more than a minute into the third period. Wylie also had a three-point game at the Charlotte Checkers less than two weeks earlier with a trio of helpers.
The Phantoms capped the scoring with Ratcliffe’s interception and nifty drop from the right circle to an open Hodgson behind him who blasted home his team-leading 11th of the campaign for a 5-1 score.
The Phantoms honored their most loyal fans on Season Ticket Holders Appreciation Night with a bevy of prizes and contests as well as tributes from the players and head coach Ian Laperriere.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms travel to the first-place Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday for a 5:00 p.m. engagement.
The Phantoms return to PPL Center to open a season-long six-game homestand with a Tuesday night matchup against the Belleville Senators. The Phantoms are also at home for three games over their Go For Gold Weekend playing the Hershey Bears on Friday, February 11 and then the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday, February 12 followed by a rematch against Hershey on Sunday, February 13 at 2:05 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY:
1st 2:35 – LV, C. O’Reilly (9) (W. Wylie) 1-0
1st 14:45 – LV, M. Frost (4) (W. Wylie, L. Sandin) 2-0
1st 15:22 – LV, H. Hodgson (10) (M. Sushko, C. O’Reilly) 3-0
2nd 4:16 – PRO, J. Froden (9) (V. Berglund, J. Studnicka) 3-1
3rd 1:09 – LV, W. Wylie (2) (L. Sandin, M. Frost) 4-1
3rd 9:44 – LV, H. Hodgson (11) (I. Ratcliffe) (PP) 5-1
Shots:
LV 35 – PRO 26
PP:
LV 1/3, PRO 0/2
Goalies:
LV – Felix Sandstrom (W) (6-11-3) (25/26)
PRO – Troy Grosenick (L) (8-3-1) (30/35)
Records:
Lehigh Valley (15-15-8)
Providence (17-12-6)
