By Michael Heilman

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms welcomed the Hartford Wolf Pack Saturday night to the PPL Center. The Phantoms were coming off a 6-5 overtime win against the Wilke Barre/Scranton Penguins Friday night.

The game remained tied 0-0 early in the first period until Wolf Pack left-winger Matt Beleskey (4) scored fifteen minutes and eight seconds in the first period to give the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead. Steven Fogarty (9) and Jeff Taylor (3) assisted Beleskey’s goal. The Wolf Pack led the Phantoms 1-0 at the end of the first period.

Despite both teams having a man advantage in the second period, as Wolf Pack goalie Igor Shesterkin was called for tripping that was served by Matt Beleskey and Phantoms defenseman T.J. Brennan called for cross-checking, neither team could score, and the Wolf Pack remained in the lead 1-0 over the Phantoms.

The Phantoms went on the power play seven minutes and seventeen seconds in the third period as Wolf Pack left-winger Phil Di Giuseppe headed to the penalty box for interference. Four seconds later, the Phantoms capitalized on a power-play goal by Greg Carey (8) to tie the game 1-1 with Andy Welinski (8) and Cal O’Reilly (12) assisting Carey’s goal. The game remained tied at the end of the third period.

The Phantoms would go on to win the game two minutes and forty-three seconds in overtime on a goal by Andy Welinski (4) to give the Phantoms a 2-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack. Cal O’Reilly (13) assisted Welinski’s goal.

The Wolf Pack won the shots on goal total with thirty-five to the Phantoms twenty-seven. The Phantoms were one for three on the power play while the Wolf Pack went zero for two. Phantoms goalie Alex Lyon made thirty-four of thirty-five saves allowing one goal while Wolf Pack goalie Igor Shesterkin made twenty-five of twenty-seven saves allowing two goals.

The three stars of the game were Phantoms defenseman Andy Welinski with one goal and one assist, Phantoms goalie Alex Lyon with thirty-four saves, and Phantoms left-winger Greg Carey with one goal.

The Phantoms close out the weekend with back-to-back overtime wins and will play again next Wednesday at 7:05 pm against the Springfield Thunderbirds at the MassMutual Center. The Phantoms will return home next Friday, December 6th, in a home and home series against the Hershey Bears.

(players total for the year)