Sensational Sandstrom Snags Shutout

Phantoms Top Penguins 4-0

November 3, 2021

Lehigh Valley, PA – Felix Sandstrom turned aside 25 Penguins’ shots and backstopped a perfect 8-for-8 penalty kill effort in his first-ever AHL shutout as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms defeated Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 4-0 on Wednesday night at PPL Center. The Phantoms picked up their first win of the season with goals from Maksim Sushko (1), Tyson Foerster (2), Hayden Hodgson (2) and Gerry Mayhew (4) while Morgan Frost added a pair of assists for his second consecutive multi-point game.

Lehigh Valley took early control of the game at just 2:25 into the contest via Sushko’s big one-timer from the high-right slot. German Rubtsov neatly found a passing lane from the left boards for a strong assist while Hodgson also picked up a helper for the first of his two points in the game. Sushko’s goal was his first in two seasons as he did not score in his abbreivated 2020-21 campaign that ended early due to knee surgery.

The Phantoms drew several penalties from the Penguins leading to four power plays and 15 shots on goal in the first period. Tyson Foerster blasted a 5-on-3 laser top shelf to the upper-left corner on his one-timer from the left circle to extend the lead to 2-0 at 15:22 into the opening period. Fellow first-rounders Cam York and Morgan Frost assisted on the goal.

It was a test of the penalty kill for much of the rest of the game as the Penguins would have seven of their eight power plays in the second and third periods AND would also have a man-advantage late in the game with a pulled goalie for an extra attacker in their 6-on-5 push.

But the P.K. was up to the task with several blocks, steals, clears and tie ups from pretty much everyone who took turns out there. And when they team needed Sandstrom to come up with a big save he was there for them…every single time.

The Phantoms had a gloriuos chance to extend their lead late in the second period when German Rubtsov was slashed on a breakaway but the team’s first penalty shot of the season was denied off the paddle of Penguins’ goalie Louis Domingue.

Hayden Hodgson scored on a shot while rushing up the right wing in the early minutes of the third period to extinguish some of the Penguins’ momentum as the Phantoms stretched their lead to 3-0. Garrett Wilson drew two defenders to him along the right boards and neatly backhand flicked a pass to Hodgson on the move. Adam Clendening’s lead pass started the scoring opportunity. Hodgson now has two goals in the last three games since joining the Phantoms lineup.

The Phantoms finished it off with 1:33 to go when Morgan Frost had yet another steal when the team was done a man. He connected with Gerry Mayhew who drove the cheery on top to the upper part of the cage for a 4-0 lead. Mayhew’s four goals are top on the Phantoms.

The Penguins were unable to threaten Sandstrom the rest of the way and the 24-year-old netminder from Gavle, Sweden officially had his first perfect and clean sheet in the AHL. Sandstrom had two shutouts with the Reading Royals in the ECHL two seasons ago.

The Phantoms will play on the road for their next four straight beginning with a pair of games at the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Catch the play-by-play action of the Phantoms games on the air on the Phantoms 365 app and on 1470-WSAN.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms return to PPL Center to take on the Springfield Thunderbirds on November 13 with the return of Saturday Night Hockey Live featuring Stacey Gabriel as our next performer in our concert series. Tickets are available at PPLCenter.com

Scoring Summary:

1st 2:25 – LV, M. Sushko (1) (G. Rubtsov, H. Hodgson) 1-0
1st 15:22 – LV, T. Foerster (2) (C. York, M. Frost) (PP, 5×3) 2-0

3rd 4:27 – H. Hodson (2) (G. Wilson, A. Clendening) 3-0
3rd 18:27 – G. Mayhew (4) (M. Frost) (ENG) 4-0

Penalty Shot: 2nd 18:53, LV G. Rubtsov – No Goal

Shots: WBS 25 – LV 26
PP: LV 1/5, WBS 0/8

Goalies:
Felix Sandstrom (W) (1-3-1) (25/25)
Louis Domingue (L) (1-1-1) (22/25)

Records:
Lehigh Valley (1-5-2)
Wilkes-Barre Scranton (5-2-1)