Two Goals Each for Gendron and Eklind

Phantoms Rally to Down Penguins 5-3

November 8, 2024

Allentown, PA – Shaking off a poor start, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms exploded for four goals in the second period against NHL goaltender Tristan Jarry to rally from behind and pick up a 5-3 win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday night at PPL Center. Alexis Gendron (2nd, 3rd) and Oscar Eklind (3rd, 4th) each scored a pair of goals for the Phantoms while Louie Belpedio rocked home his first of the year and Rhett Gardner contributed two helpers.

Lehigh Valley (4-3-3) also received a strong performance from Eetu Makiniemi whose 33 saves was a season-high for a Phantoms goaltender. The Phantoms pinned the first AHL loss of the season on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Tristan Jarry who ended a two-week conditioning loan with the club. The Phantoms have won three of the last four and also possess an impressive five-game point streak (3-0-2) that came immediately following a five-game winless streak.

The Phantoms also recorded their first win of the season against the Penguins in their fourth try. And they did it with a season-low 20 shots including only three shots in the first period before turning it on and finding some offense in the second.

“To be honest, we were the worst team for 60 minutes tonight but we came out with the win,” Phantoms head coach Ina Laperriere said. “But in the first three games against them we were the better team and we didn’t come out with the win. So the hockey gods took care of that. But by saying that, I liked the effort, the desperation of a lot of our guys tonight. It was an ugly win but, guess what, I’m taking the two points.”

Ville Koivunen (3rd) rocked it through Makiniemi from the left circle on the power play and later Sam Poulin (3rd) took advantage of a turnover for a creative shorthanded breakaway goal on a rebound from the side of the cage with a bank off Makiniemi to make it 2-0 at the first intermission following 20 minutes of less-inspired play for the Phantoms who had a season-low three shots in a period.

The second period was a different story.

Louie Belpedio crushed his first goal of the season with a power-play drive from center point at 1:29 into the second period to make it 2-1. And just 44 seconds later Alexis Gendron took advantage of his opportunity to join Rhett Gardner’s line and accepted a little drop for a blast from the right circle past Jarry to tie the game at 2-2.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was quick to respond with Jonathan Gruden picking off an errant pass at the Phantoms line and walking in for an unassisted conversion. Just 3:09 into the frame the two teams had already combined for three goals in the period and the Penguins had retaken the lead at 3-2.

Both teams traded some exciting chances for much of the second period that also included J.R. Avon’s close-call bid for his first of the season when he hit the iron on a shot from center point.

The Phantoms tied the score again at 14:03 into the second period when Oscar Eklind knocked it home from the left side of the net on the rebound of a Samu Tuomaala shot from the left circle. Tuomaala’s assist gives him eight power-play points on the season, most in the AHL.

Makiniemi was stellar in the third with 14 straight saves while the Phantoms were clinging to a one-goal lead. A loose puck in the blue paint was perilously close to evening the score again but the tall, Finnish netminder laid across the line to cover as much space as he could and ultimately denied the Baby Pens yet again.

Eklind muscled his way to the puck at the point on a Mac Hollowell turnover and shot home his second goal of the game into the empty net with 2:42 left to seal the victory.

The Phantoms went 2-for-5 on the power play and improved to 28.5% on the season, good for second in the AHL.

Lehigh Valley’s homestand continues on Saturday night against the Utica Comets (0-8-2) who are still in search of their first win of the season. Utica’s interim head coach, Ryan Parent, is a former defenseman for the Philadelphia Phantoms and Philadelphia Flyers. Saturday’s game also includes a Postgame Skate with the Phantoms Players presented by NJM Insurance.

The Phantoms and Penguins will rematch at PPL Center on Wednesday, November 13 to wrap-up Lehigh Valley’s three-game homestand marking the third game between the rivals in an eight-game stretch.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st 5:53 – WBS, V. Koivunen (3) (M. Hollowell, E. Bemstrom) (PP) (0-1)
1st 13:49 – WBS, S. Poulin (3) (P. Waugh) (SH) (0-2)

2nd 1:29 – LV, L. Belpedio (1) (E. Samson) (PP) (1-2)
2nd 2:15 – LV, A. Gendron (2) (R. Gardner, H. McDonald) (2-2)
2nd 3:09 – WBS, J. Gruden (3) (Unassisted) (2-3)
2nd 14:03 – LV, O. Eklind (3) (J. Gaucher, S. Tuomaala) (PP) (3-3)
2nd 14:39 – LV, A. Gendron (3) (R. Gardner) (4-3)

3rd 17:42 – LV, O. Eklind (4) (Unassisted) (ENG) (5-3)

Shots: 
LV 20 – WBS 36

PP:
LV 2/5, WBS 1/5

Goaltenders:
LV – E. Makiniemi (W) (2-0-1) (33/36)
WBS – T. Jarry (L) (4-1-0) (15/19)

Records:
Lehigh Valley (4-3-3)
W-B/Scranton (7-2-0)

UPCOMING

Saturday, November 9 – Utica Comets at Phantoms – Postgame Skate with Players presented by NJM Insurance

Wednesday, November 13 – W-B/Scranton Penguins at Phantoms – Military Appreciation Night presented by Netizen

Friday, November 15 – Phantoms at Springfield Thunderbirds

Saturday, November 16 – Hershey Bears at Phantoms – Saturday Night Hockey Live!

 

 

 

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