By Michael Heilman

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms wrapped up their three-game homestand at the PPL Center Saturday night against the Belleville Senators. The Phantoms were coming off a thrilling overtime win against the Charlotte Checkers Friday night 5-4.

The Senators jumped to a 1-0 lead five minutes and fourteen seconds in the first period as Rudolfs Balcers (3) made a long pass to Alex Formenton (6) who skated around Phantoms Nate Prosser and delivered a shot under the legs of Phantoms goalie Jean-Francois Berube. Alex Formenton assisted Formenton’s goal.

The roles were reversed three minutes and twenty-three seconds later as the Senators extended the lead 2-0 as Alex Formenton (5) passed the puck to Rudolfs Balcers (4) who scored. Alex Formenton assisted Balcers goal. The Senators headed to the locker room up 2-0 at the end of the first period.

The Phantoms managed to hold off the Senators in the second period but could not get anything going at all as the game remained 2-0 Senators at the end of the second period.

The Phantoms did everything they could to get back into this game. Late in the third period, the Senators Jack Dougherty was called for interference giving the Phantoms a power play. The Phantoms managed to prevent the shutout with thirteen seconds left, as Greg Carey (7) scored to make it a 2-1 game. Nicolas Aube-Kubel (2) and Cal O’Reilly (10) assisted Carey’s goal. The Phantoms made one last attempted to tie the game, but the horn sounded, and the Belleville Senators defeated the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2-1.

The Phantoms won the shots on goal total with thirty-eight to the Senators eighteen. The Phantoms were one for five on the power play while the Senators were zero for two. Phantoms goalie Jean-Francois Berube made sixteen of eighteen saves, allowing two goals while Senators goalie Filip Gustavsson made thirty-seven of thirty-eight saves.

The three stars of the game were Phantoms goalie Jean-Francois Berube with sixteen saves, Senators left winger Alex Formenton with one goal and one assist, and Senators goalie Filip Gustavsson with thirty-seven saves.

The Phantoms will now head to the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza on Thanksgiving eve in a home and home series against the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins Wednesday at 7 pm and again from the PPL Center Friday at 7 pm.