By Michael Heilman

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms visited the MassMutual Center to take on the Springfield Thunderbirds Wednesday night. The last time these two teams played each other was back on November 13th when the Thunderbirds defeated the Phantoms 2-1.

The Phantoms took the lead nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds into the first period as Connor Bunnaman (1) scored his first goal of the season, giving the Phantoms a 1-0 lead with an assist from Isaac Ratcliffe (4). The Phantoms were able to keep the Thunderbirds in check as they at the end of the first period they led 1-0.

The Thunderbirds responded six minutes and twenty-five seconds into the second period as Dryden Hunt (1) tied the game up 1-1 with Henrik Borgstrom (5) and Brady Keeper (5) assisting Hunt’s goal. The game remained tied 1-1 at the end of the second period.

After failing to capitalize on the first three power plays, the Thunderbirds would take their first lead of the game fourteen minutes and forty-seven seconds in the third period as Brady Keeper (5) scored a power-play goal to give the Thunderbirds a 2-1 lead with Tommy Cross (8) and Jonathan Ang (6) assisting Keeper’s goal. With under two minutes left to play, the Phantoms pulled goalie Alex Lyon for the extra attacker but couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity as the Thunderbirds put the game away on an empty-net goal by Sebastian Repo (3) to give the Thunderbirds a 3-1 lead with assists from Henrik Borgstrom (6) and Riley Stillman (2). The Springfield Thunderbirds would go on to defeat the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-1.

The Phantoms in the third period were on the power play six times and could not take advantage of it. In total, the Phantoms were zero for seven on the power play while the Thunderbirds were one for four. Despite the loss, the Phantoms won the shots on goal total with sixty-three to the Thunderbirds twenty-three. Phantoms goalie Alex Lyon made twenty of twenty-two saves, allowing two goals while Thunderbirds goalie Philippe Desrosiers made sixty-two of sixty-three saves allowing one goal.

The three stars of the game were Thunderbirds left-winger Dryden Hunt with one goal, Thunderbirds defenseman Brady Keeper with one goal and one assist and Thunderbirds goalie Philippe Desrosiers with sixty-two saves.

The Phantoms will now face the Hershey Bears in a home and home series starting Friday at 7 pm from the PPL Center and Saturday at 7 pm from the Giant Arena.

(total players number for the year)