Phantoms Clipped in Laval

Road Trip Continues Friday at Hartford

October 29, 2025

Laval, Que. – Aleksei Kolosov (30/33) held off the fierce Laval attack as long as he could but eventually the Rocket broke through enough times to secure a 3-0 shutout win against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday night at Place Bell.

Jacob Fowler backstopped a 17-save shutout effort for the Montreal farm club, his second of the season. It was the first time this season the Phantoms have been blanked by the opposing goalie.

Laval (5-3-0) received goals from Adam Engstrom (2nd), Owen Beck (2nd), and Jared Davison (5th). The Phantoms went 2-0-0 against the Rocket last year even though Laval was the top team in the entire league. This time, Laval got one of them back against the Phantoms.

Lehigh Valley (4-3-1) had some of its best chances from Garrett Wilson in the second period and Alexis Gendron in the third period who were both denied point-blank on sterling saves by Fowler. It was defenseman Ty Murchison who perhaps made the play of the game when he dove backwards to get a left skate on a backdoor shot aimed at an entirely open net in the second period. After Laval’s crisp east-west passing set up the glorious opportunity, it was Murchison’s spectacular effort that wowed the home crowd with his impressive goal-saving play.

The Quebec trio of Jacob Gaucher, Alexis Gendron and Anthony Richard were given the honor of starting the game in front of dozens of friends and family cheering them on. But it was Laval who snagged early momentum with some continuous pressure that constantly forced the issue for the Phantoms.

Engstrom scored the game’s opening goal at 16:36 into the first period after veteran Laurent Dauphin put on a move up the left boards to set up a quick odd-man rush. Kolosov rotated to his left to cover Davidson on the backdoor but there was still time for the Rocket to locate a trailing Engstrom who rushed up the middle and slammed a bullseye into the cage for a 1-0 lead.

The Phantoms were still within a goal well past the midway mark. Earlier in the second period, Wilson almost equalized as he pushed his way into the blue paint for a pair of fantastic chances on Fowler. Driving a pair of close-range shots back-to-back, it appeared Wilson was on the verge of potting a goal for a second consecutive game but Laval’s rookie prospect between the pipes somehow got a piece of the second effort as well to hold off the Phantoms.

Lehigh Valley had a power play at 13:55 of the second period when Dennis Gilbert was clipped on a kneeing penalty by Xavier Simoneau. Gilbert exited the game with an injury while head coach John Snowden pleaded with the officials for more than a two-minute minor on the play. Laval’s penalty kill successfully worked through the two minutes to preserve the 1-0 lead.

The Rocket had a double-minor power play late in the second and doubled their lead on Owen Beck’s backdoor slam with Florian Xhekaj recognizing that his chance right on top of Kolosov wasn’t going to make it into the cage. But Beck was open in the left circle to bury it at 18:45 into the second extending the advantage to 2-0.

Laval stole a puck at center early in the third to complete the scoring as Jared Davidson scored a five-hole breakaway goal past Kolosov just barely more than four minutes into the third period for a 3-0 lead.

Laval outshot the Phantoms 33-17. Lehigh Valley was 0-for-3 on the power play while the Rocket were 1-for-5. The Phantoms and Rocket will rematch on Saturday, November 30 at PPL Center.

Lehigh Valley’s road trip continues this weekend with a pair of games at the Hartford Wolf Pack on Friday, October 31 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 1 at 6:00 p.m.

The Phantoms return to PPL Center on Saturday, November 8 against the Toronto Marlies with Phantoms ballcaps for the first 5,000 fans from Service Electric Network and also featuring a Postgame Skate with the Phantoms players presented by NJM Insurance.