By Michael Heilman

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms began their five-game road trip Wednesday night at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center against the Providence Bruins.

The Phantoms drew first-blood in the first period when Phantoms left-winger Max Willman (1) intercepted a pass to create a two-on-one play and Willman passed the puck to Kyle Criscuolo (6) who scored an open-net goal to put the Phantoms up 1-0 with ten minutes and ten seconds to play in the first period. The Bruins tied the game 1-1 when defenseman Josiah Didier (8) shot the puck that hit Phantoms goalie Jean Francois-Berube, forward Robert Lantosi (15) rebounded the puck, passed the puck to forward Oskar Steen (5), who fired the puck to the upper right corner of the net for the goal with three minutes and five seconds left to play in the first period. The game was tied 1-1 at the end of the first period. The Phantoms led the Bruins in shots nine to six, and both were zero for one on the power play.

Neither team scored in the second period, but there were plenty of chances for both teams to regain the lead. The Phantoms were a man down when a hooking call against defenseman Reece Willcox put the Bruins on the power play. The Phantoms defense was able to kill off the power play. Both teams were playing stalwart defense, and both goalies were making a fair amount of saves to keep it tied 1-1 at the end of the second period. The Phantoms were still outshooting the Bruins seventeen to fourteen.

The Phantoms regained the lead 2-1 three minutes into the third period when Max Willman (2) shot the puck, it was deflected off of Bruins goalie Max Lagace, rebounded by Kyle Criscuolo (7), whose shot went off of Lagace; finally landing for David Kase (4) who shot the puck from the corner that went off of a Bruins defender and in for the goal. The Bruins almost tied the game with eleven minutes and fifty-seven seconds left in the game but Phantoms goalie Jean Francois-Berube made an incredible save lying flat on his back to prevent the goal. The Bruins would go on to tie the game with six minutes remaining as the Phantoms turned the puck over to Bruins right-winger Zach Senyshyn (3), who raced down the ice and delivered a shot to the upper right corner of the net for the goal which tied the game 2-2. Both teams turned up the heat to try to break the tie as regulation time was running out. The game was tied 2-2 as the third period ended heading to overtime. The Bruins led the shots total twenty-eight to twenty-three.

Overtime began with a hooking call against Bruins forward Robert Lantosi, which sent the Phantoms on the power play. However, the Phantoms were unable to finish it off, and the game was still tied 2-2 at the end of overtime.

The Phantoms could not find the net in the shootout, and Bruins left-winger Peter Cehlarik scored in the shootout to give the Providence Bruins a 3-2 shootout win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Phantoms have yet to win a game in a shootout.

The Phantoms finished the night with twenty-eight shots while the Bruins had thirty-two. Both teams were zero for two on the power play. Phantoms goalie Jean Francois-Berube was twenty-nine of thirty-one saves, allowing two goals, and Bruins goalie Max Lagace was twenty-six of twenty-eight saves allowing two goals.

The three stars of the game were Bruins right-winger Zach Senyshyn with one goal, Phantoms center Kyle Criscuolo with one goal and one assist and Bruins left-winger Peter Cehlarik with the game-winning goal in the shootout.

With the loss, the Phantoms end a five-game winning streak and will look to start a new one Friday at 7:05 pm in a rematch against the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

(player stats for year)