Perfect Roadie Aspirations Fall Short

Penguins Topple Phantoms 4-1

October 22, 2025

Wilkes-Barre Twp, PA – Close but not cigar. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (3-2-0) fell short in their bid for a perfect 3-0 road trip as they fell for a second time to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins by a 4-1 score. Wednesday’s decision concluded a 2-1 road swing for the Orange and Black.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (5-0-0) picked up a pair of power-play goals as well as a penalty shot goal in pinning the first loss of the season on Phantoms goaltender Aleksei Kolosov.

The Penguins raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on a power-play goal by NHL veteran by Danton Heinen (2nd) at 4:11 and an even-strength goal at the net-front by Avery Hayes (3rd) at 13:20. Phil Kemp hit the post in the first period in his bid to boost the Penguins’ advantage.

Lehigh Valley had some strong chances on Sergei Murashov including Karsen Dorwart on a 2-on-1 with Devin Kaplan following a stretch-pass by Alex Bump to spring the young duo into the zone. Kaplan’s sharp-angle effort off an end-board rebound skittered right along the line and through the blue while also missing a possible riccochet off the Penguins’ goaltender.

Later in the first, Alexis Gendron was denied at the doorstop by the right pad of Murashov after a carry up the right boards by Helge Grans looking for the setup.

The Phantoms surged back into the game in the second period with a power-play goal in the opening minute. Alexis Gendron (1st) scored at the net-front on the rebound after some work on the right side by Dorwart and Cooper Marody to find him. Murashov’s right-pad save initially was good to hold off last year’s leading goal scorer for Lehigh Valley. But a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defender’s clearing try bounded off a teammate and right back to Gendron who buried it top shelf.

The Phantoms came perilously close to equalizing just a few minutes later when Emil Andrae was open at the top of the left circle but his bomb on the glove-side of the lefty-style playing goaltender rang hard off the iron and deflected away.

The Penguins pulled away after that including a power-play goal by Atley Calvert (4th) at 10:42 off some snappy and crisp passing by Tristan Broz and Rafael Harvey-Pinard.

Ville Koivunen took advantage of a Phantoms’ turnover with a breakaway chance that was fought off by Kolosov. But he was also hooked on the play and granted a penalty shot which he smartly slid through five-hole off the inside of the right knee of Kolosov to take a 4-1 lead at 15:43 of the second period.

Lehigh Valley raced out to a 10-2 shots advantage in a deserpate push in the opening minutes of the third period. Zayde Wisdom was the second Lehigh Valley player to be victimized by the post. Lane Pederson had a big crank from the high slot that required a strong save from Murashov. Anthony Richard and Alexis Gendron and Jacob Gaucher had a solid shift that also resulted in more hard chances.

Lehigh Valley could have clawed its way back into the game if just one of them had gone in. But Murashov fought all of them off and preserved the three-goal lead.

The Phantoms are back at PPL Center this Friday night with “Haunted on Hamilton” including meLvin’s Costume Party, pumkin painting, and trick-or-treating.

Following Friday’s home game, the Phantoms are on the road for five straight beginning with a Saturday night rematch at Hershey and continuing Wednesday evening at the Laval Rocket.

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