Phantoms Dominate but Penguins Hang On

Highway Larssony

October 19, 2024

Allentown, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms poured it on all night long but 41 shots were not enough to break goaltender Filip Larsson who backstopped a sensational 41-save performance in a 3-0 shutout win for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at PPL Center on Saturday night.

It was Highway Larssony for the Pittsburgh free-agent signee and his first win in the AHL in five years since a brief stint with Grand Rapids in 2019-20.

Lehigh Valley (1-2-0) comes away knowing the Phantoms played the better game. With a dominating 41-17 shots advantage, including 19-3 in the second period, one would think the Phantoms should have cruised into the W column. But somehow Larsson had the answer every time.

Emil Bemstrom (2nd) scored in the opening minutes of the game and then Joona Koppanen (1st) converted early in the third before Boris Katchouk (4th) sealed the win with an empty netter in the closing seconds.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (3-1-0) was on its heels through almost the entire second and third periods. After the Penguins had the better of the play for parts of the first period with a 10-10- even shots distribution in the opening 20 minutes, the Phantoms took control and outshot their opponents by a combined 31-7 the rest of the way.

But Tuomaala with back-to-back chances at the net front or Ronnie Attard with a monster blast in the high slot or Elliot Desnoyers cutting across the slot for an opportunity or any of the other strong chances the Phantoms created somehow wouldn’t work for Lehigh Valley tonight.

For Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere, the process of creating those chances and being the better side throughout the night are positives for his group.

“Love the effort. If we play like that most of the nights we will like the result at the end of the year,” Laperriere said. “I also got to give the goalie on the other side credit. He looked great and made great saves.”

Some early fireworks got the fans into the game early via a heavyweight tilt between Garrett Wilson and Boko Imama. In a rematch of last night’s tussle in the opening seconds, this time the too combatants were able to really get going in a spirited fight with some strong blows exchanged.

The Penguins scored the only goal they would need on a quick 2-on-0 with Sam Poulin setting up Emil Bemstrom on a give-and-go just 3:05 into the game.

After that, Kolosov faced his toughest challenges in the first period where he came through with nine consecutive denials after the opening tally.

The second period he had a lot less to do. Lehigh Valley had the Penguins buried in their zone for much of the period with the 19-3 shots advantage.

The best chance in the second period came from Oscar Eklind up the left wing who blasted a shot through Larsson that somehow stayed out even though it went behind the goaltender. The drive deflected across the line and through the blue paint in front of an open net but Desnoyers crashing the cage on the play was unable to get his stick down on the opportunity as he was shoved away by Katchouk hustling back on defense.

The Phantoms kept up the pressure in the third but a quick push for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton helped to double the lead with Sebastian Aho on the right boards connecting with Koppanen who sniped to the stick side of Kolosov just over three minutes into the frame for a 2-0 lead.

Lehigh Valley was still in it almost until the very end. With both teams missing a player due to offsetting roughing penalties, Laperriere opted to pull his goaltender with 6:30 remaining to set up a 5-on-4. His team continued to press at 6-on-5 as time ticked away and pushes through the blue paint were denied by Larsson or missed wide.

“Am I happy? No, I’m not happy,” Laperriere said. “I want those points. But for me, as a coach, we’re starting our season. It’s game 3. You build. It’s like you’re building a house right now.  You’re putting blocks after blocks after blocks. And for me, even in a loss, there’s a lot to work with. We’ll go back to work and be better next weekend.”

The Phantoms will continue to build next weekend beginning with a Friday night game at the Hartford Wolf Pack in a rematch of last week’s phenomenally exciting Opening Night showdown which Lehigh Valley won in a shootout 4-3.

The Phantoms return to PPL Center for a pair of games against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27 at 3:05 p.m. Sunday’s game is our Haunted on Hamilton Day with spooky fun on tap. A costume parade for the kiddos during the intermission plus trick or treating on the concourse as well as pumpkin painting await our various ghouls and goblins joining us that evening.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st 3:05 – WBS, E. Bemstrom (2) (S. Poulin, F. Larsson) (0-1)

3rd – 3:28 – WBS, J. Koppanen (1) (S. Aho, B. Imama) (0-2)
3rd – 19:31 – WBS, B. Katchouk (4) (S. Poulin) (EN) (0-3)

Shots:
LV 4 1 – WBS 27

PP:
LV 0/2, WBS 0/1

Goaltenders:
LV – A. Kolosov (L) (14/16) (1-2-0)
WBS – F. Larsson (W) (41/41) (1-1-0)

Records:
Lehigh Valley (1-2-0)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (3-1-0)

 

UPCOMING

Friday, October 25 – Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack

Saturday, October 26 – Grand Rapids Griffins at Phantoms

Sunday, October 27 (3:05) – Grand Rapids Griffins at Phantoms – Haunted on Hamilton, Spooky Fun!

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