Lehigh Valley, PA – The Phantoms looked to bounce back. Lehigh Valley had dropped the game the night prior back at PPL Center. Clay Stevenson shut out the Phantoms in consecutive appearances against the orange & black. Bears winger, Pierrick Dubé is a Phantoms killer he had five goals on the season going into the afternoon tilt, four of them coming against Lehigh Valley including last night’s tally to cap off Hershey’s 2-0 win. Captain Garrett Wilson spoke to the media following the loss, “…I’m getting kinda sick of losing to these guys.” The big topic after getting shut out yet again by Stevenson. Nolan Maier made his season debut, in 4 games with Reading this season he’s yet to get a win. Maier was (5-2-2) with the Phantoms last season, posting a .886 SV% on 2.85 GAA. Maier made 29 saves on 30 shots in the Phantoms revenge win, Sunday afternoon.
RECAP
Maier with a solid opening frame, easily could’ve been a Bears lead heading into the second, but Lehigh Valley were the ones who led. The Phantoms’ lone goal, was a wrap-around goal scored by Lehigh Valley Captain Garrett Wilson. Wilson’s third goal of the season came at the 13:46 mark. The tally is the first goal Stevenson has given up against the Phantoms this season, in 133:46 of play. Maier faced 14 shots he stopped all 14 he faced in the period.
A cancer survivor of Hodgkin lymphoma back in 2022, Ivan Miroshnichenko an afternoon that was practically for him found twine at the 5:53 mark to even things up at one. Rhett Gardner sniped a wrister past Stevenson, his third of the season to put the Phantoms back on top. The shot coming from the high left slot was a nearly impossible shot to save at 9:17. Garrett Wilson is set to miss the majority of the rest of the contest. Wilson received a 10-minute misconduct, a fighting major, and an instigator at the 18:09 mark of the second period. Nolan Maier had a stellar night through two frames, can’t say enough about how great he was between the pipes 20 saves on 21 shots.
Nolan Maier the story of this contest, without a doubt. Bears forward, Joe Snively was robbed early in the frame, and a shot that could’ve tied the game early in the frame was turned into a two-goal deficit for the Chocolate & white. J.R. extended the Phantoms’ lead. Jon-Randall Avon fired home the back door feed from Marody at 2:06. Cooper Marody exactly 2 minutes later at 4:06 netted his fourth of the season, crashing the net and potting the puck in the back of the net to cap off Lehigh Valley’s 4-1 victory.
Nolan Maier was stupendous in his first start with the Phantoms this season. The score sheet says he’s the 2nd star but anyone with a set of eyes watching this contest knows Maiesy deserved the 1st star honors. Maier came up huge all game for Lehigh Valley with 29 saves in the 4-1 win.
Miroshnichenko beat cancer at the age of 19 which had since he was 17, he was drafted in the 1st round of the 2022 NHL draft 20th overall by the Capitals. Ivan is still 19 years of age, born in February 2004 in Russia. Ivan was honored throughout the game, he scored the lone Bears goal receiving the third star. The Phantoms head home for some rest and practice before leaving Wednesday night for Laval. They face off against the Rocket on Friday, November 17th, to kick off their Canadian road trip.
Thank You Fans!
I asked some fans attending the game this afternoon to submit photos of them with their signs. Thank you to all who submitted their photos and participated.
