Desnoyers, Tuomaala, Lycksell Score for Lehigh Valley
November 15, 2024
Springfield, MA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms tried to stage yet another dramatic comeback but this time couldn’t repeat the magic as the Springfield Thunderbirds just barely hung on for a 4-3 win on Friday night at MassMutual Center.
Lehigh Valley (6-4-3) saw its seven-game point streak and three-game win streak come to a close.
Elliot Desnoyers (1st), Samu Tuomaala (5th), and Olle Lycksell (3rd) all scored for the Phantoms while the Thunderbirds were led by a pair of goals from Marcus Sylvegard (4th, 5th) and a pivotal and disputed goal by Tyler Tucker (1st) that broke a 2-2 tie early in the third period.
The Phantoms struck first on a goal by Elliot Desnoyers with a tap-in on the back-door following a sharp pass across the slot by Garrett Wilson going between the legs of his teammate and set up perfectly for Desnoyers to break through with his first of the season.
Springfield (5-8-1) scored a pair of goals in the second period to take the lead as Nikita Alexandrov (5th) had a net-front deflection to even the score at 1-1 at 1:48 into the frame and then Marcus Sylvegard converted at 7:42 to break the tie.
The Phantoms equalized before the end of the period when Samu Tuomaala collected a long pass up ice from Rodrigo Abols and flicked a quick shot from between his skates while on the move that beat Colton Ellis to the left-wing post with 36 seconds left in the period for a 2-2 tie.
Springfield took the lead when Tyler Tucker received credit for a goal that rolled in past the left pad of Cal Petersen. The late call and unusual goal was protested by the Phantoms perhaps contending that a whistle should have been blown if Petersen had been on top of the puck or Petersen had been contacted. But the goal stood to give Springfield the edge again at 3:24 into the third.
The Thunderbirds dug away a puck in the corner and connected with an unmarked Sylvegard between the circles who rapidly scored high-glove on Petersen with exactly 10:00 left to stretch their advantage to 4-2.
Lycksell extended his goal-streak to three games when Adam Ginning’s point shot/pass hit off the stick of Springfield defenseman Tyler Tucker but made it through to Lycksell who had time to maneuver to his back hand and stuff home his third of the season with 5:53 remaining to give the Phantoms a chance.
The goal also marked Olle Lycksell’s 100th career professional point in North America. 94 of those points have come with the Phantoms while he also has six NHL points with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Alexis Gendron down low found a rebound with 20 seconds left and tried a mid-air whack that would have tied the score but Ellis was equal to the task and denied the red-hot 20-year-old rookie winger to preserve the win for Springfield.
The Phantoms are back in action Saturday night at PPL Center with the defending Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears arriving to downtown Allentown for the first time since the two teams met in the Atlantic Division Semifinals last year.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 13:28 – LV, E. Desnoyers (1) (G. Wilson, H. McDonald) (1-0)
2nd 1:48 – SPR, N. Alexandrov (5) (S. Johannesson, M. Luff) (1-1)
2nd 17:42 – SPR, M. Sylvegard (4) (L. Loof, A. Kaskimaki) (1-2)
2nd 19:24 – LV, S. Tuomaala (5) (R. Abols, B. Gleason) (2-2)
3rd 3:27 – SPR, T. Tucker (1) (A. Kaskimaki, H. McGing) (2-3)
3rd 10:00 – SPR, M. Sylvegard (5) (D. Dvorsky) (2-4)
3rd 14:07 – LV, O. Lycksell (3) (A. Ginning, B. Furry) (3-4)
Shots:
LV 35 – SPR 27
PP:
LV 0/3, SPR 0/3
Goaltenders:
LV – C. Petersen (L) (2-2-1) (23/27)
SPR – C. Ellis (W) (4-4-1) (32/35)
Records:
Lehigh Valley (6-4-3)
Springfield (5-8-1)
UPCOMING
Saturday, November 16 – Hershey Bears at Phantoms – Saturday Night Hockey Live, DJ Angel B
Friday, November 22 – Phantoms at Providence Bruins
Saturday, November 23 – Phantoms at Providence Bruins
Wednesday, November 27 – Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack