Phantoms Shutout Penguins In AHL Preseason Action

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ALLENTOWN, PA -- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms were more than eager to get things going in their lone preseason affair before they begin the regular season this weekend. On Thursday night at PPL Center, 330 days after they hosted the Penguins in their final game before the pandemic last season, the Phantoms hosted the Penguins and skated away with a 2-0 win.

The offense came from the defense, as Chris Bigras and Tyler Wotherspoon netted goals for Lehigh Valley, while David Kase, Chris Mueller, Maksim Sushko and Max Willman all tallied assists. Felix Sandstrom got the start in net, and played the full 60 minutes - earning a 21-save shutout to boost his confidence heading into Saturday's regular season opener in Hershey.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Lines/Pairings:

Ryan Fitzgerald - Cal O'Reilly - Zayde Wisdom Maksim Sushko - Tanner Laczynski - Linus Sandin Garrett Wilson - David Kase - Tyson Foerster Sam Morin - Chris Mueller - Max Willman

Egor Zamula - Tyler Wotherspoon Linus Hogberg - Derrick Pouliot Chris Bigras - Wyatte Wylie

Felix Sandstrom - Zane McIntyre

GAME STORY

1st Period

The Phantoms and Penguins had a bit of a feeling out process in the opening half of the period, before a Sam Morin interference minor gave the Penguins the game's first power play at the midway mark.

While it was the Phantoms on the penalty kill, they arguably had the better of play - with David Kase winning a puck battle along the wall in offensive zone and centering for an open Tanner Laczynski. Laczynski tried a move and pulled it to his forehand, trying to patiently out-wait Penguins' goaltender Emil Larmi but to no avail as the netminder got a glove on Laczynski's attempt to keep the game scoreless.

Later in the period, the Phantoms got their power play chance - though with 1:05 left before the first intermission it didn't result in the game's opening goal before the period had ended.

First Period Observations

David Kase was flying out there, and you could definitely tell he wasn't playing his first game since March. He made several smart plays in the opening period playing on a line with Garrett Wilson and Tyson Foerster.

Tyson Foerster was active during his shifts in the first frame, getting in on the forecheck and disrupting things. He was all over the ice in a good way in the opening period.

Egor Zamula seemed poised with the puck in the opening period, whether it was craftily maneuvering out of his back end and springing a teammate on an outlet pass or - as evidenced on one of his shifts - even working his way out of a jam and moving the puck around the wall to his defense partner Tyler Wotherspoon to avoid turning the puck over. Making the simple play, but also having the confidence with the puck on his stick Zamula could be a real treat to watch in the AHL this season.

Emil Larmi was the difference maker for the Penguins in the opening period. The netminder made several sharp saves - 10 total in the period - to help keep the game scoreless heading into the middle frame.

2nd Period

The Phantoms didn't cash in on the power play, but came as close as you could without netting one.  As the man advantage was coming to an end, Zamula received a pass at the center point and leaned into a one-timer that beat Larmi but caught the inside of the post before eventually exiting the zone.

Things really began opening up for Lehigh Valley in the middle frame as they were more assertive and getting in on the attack, but a Maksim Sushko tripping minor appeared to have put a damper on things.

Not only did the Phantoms kill off the ensuing minor penalty, they scored the opening goal of the contest shortly after it expired.

David Kase floated a puck up and out of the zone just as Maksim Sushko was free from the penalty box, and the floating puck was caught up to by Sushko. With a defender breathing down his neck as he headed down the right-wing to the net, Sushko left a backhand pass for a trailing Chris Bigras in the high slot. Bigras' initial shot was stopped, but the Phantoms defender followed up his own rebound attempt for the put back to give Lehigh Valley a 1-0 lead.

Sam Morin's usage got interesting in the middle frame. At 5-on-5, he was playing exclusively as a forward, but to start both of the Phantoms' penalty kills he was used as a defenseman.

Second Period Observations

Sam Morin and his situational position changes took centerstage in the middle frame. By all accounts from those in Philadelphia, they seemed intent on playing Morin strictly at forward. So why was he killing penalties as a defenseman in the middle frame?

Max Willman was kind of quietly going about his business tonight. He had several strong moves to the net and was playing a steady two-way game out there.

3rd Period

The two teams traded power plays in the opening five minutes, but the first half of the final frame was largely quiet.

That changed as the second half of the period got underway. After Chris Mueller won an offensive zone face-off, the Phantoms extended their lead on another goal from a defenseman.

Mueller won the draw to the slot where Max Willman was able to get control and pass it back to the right point for a wrister from Tyler Wotherspoon that eluded everything and everyone on its way into the back of the net. The goal extended the Phantoms' lead to 2-0.

The Phantoms had an extended five-on-three chance shortly after Wotherspoon's goal, but were unable to add to their lead.

Felix Sandstrom shut things down from there, securing the Phantoms' 2-0 win over the Penguins with a 21-save shutout.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

10:00: LV - (PP) Morin, minor (interference) 18:55: WBS - (PP) Robert, minor (boarding)

2nd Period

6:28: LV - (PP) Sushko, minor (tripping) 8:39: LV - Bigras (1) - Sushko, Kase 13:18: LV - (PP) Zamula, minor (hooking) 15:23: WBS - (PP) Bellerive, minor (roughing)

3rd Period

2:04: WBS - (PP) Robert, minor (high-sticking) 3:49: LV - (PP Zamula, minor (interference) 10:02: LV - Wotherspoon (1) - Willman, Mueller 10:32: WBS - (PP) Cormier, minor (slashing) 11:28: WBS - (PP) Olson, minor (hooking)

BOXSCORE

W-B/Scranton  0 - 0 - 0 = 0 Lehigh Valley  0 - 1 - 1 = 2

Shots

W-B/Scranton  9 - 6 - 6 = 21 Lehigh Valley  10 - 8 - 13 = 31

Goalies

HFD: Emil Larmi (29 saves - 31 shots) LV: Felix Sandstrom (21 saves - 21 shots)

Power Play

WBS: 0-for-4 LV: 0-for-5

Penalty Kill

WBS: 5-for-5 LV: 4-for-4