By Michael Heilman

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms had a frosty visit to the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza to take on the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins on Thanksgiving eve. The last time these two teams played was November 16th when the Penguins defeated the Phantoms 2-1 at the PPL Center.

The Phantoms jumped to an early 1-0 lead one minute and twenty-two seconds in the first period as Tyler Wotherspoon (1) scored his first goal of the season with Mikhail Vorobyev (8) assisting in Wotherspoon’s goal.

Fifteen seconds later, Phantoms right-winger Kurtis Gabriel headed to the penalty box for tripping, giving the Penguins a power play. The Penguins capitalized on the power play as Stefan Noesen (13) scored with Adam Johnson (10) and Andrew Agozzino (10), assisting Noesen’s goal to tie the game 1-1.

The Penguins would take their first lead of the game at thirteen minutes and fifty-five seconds when Adam Johnson spun around and delivered a shot that slid just under the legs of Phantoms goalie Alex Lyon, Niclas Almari (3) and Kevin Czuczman (5) assisted in Johnson’s goal. The Penguins now led 2-1 at the end of the first period.

The Penguins came out fired up and extended their lead 3-1 when Stefan Noesen (14), scored his second goal of the game. His shot initially hit Alex Lyon’s glove then went over the glove and in for the goal. Sam Miletic (10) assisted Noesen’s goal. The Phantoms would cut the Penguins lead 3-2 with under fifteen minutes to play in the second period as Pascal Laberge (2) fired the puck to the top left corner of the net for the goal. Mikhail Vorobyev (9) and Isaac Ratcliffe (3) assisted Laberge’s goal.

The Penguins would go on another power play at eleven minutes and twenty-seven seconds in the second period when Phantoms Tyler Wotherspoon headed to the penalty box for tripping. Twenty-six seconds later, the Penguins Joseph Blandisi (3) scored to give the Penguins a two-goal lead 4-2 with Andrew Agozzino (11) and Adam Johnson (11) assisting Blandisi’s goal. The Penguins headed to the locker room with a 4-2 lead at the end of the second period.

Late in the third period, the Phantoms were doing all they could do to get back into the game as Alex Lyon was pulled from the goal net to send an extra attacker with over three minutes left in the game. The Penguins Thomas Di Pauli (2) scored the empty-net goal to extend the Penguins lead 5-2. With under a minute left to play, Thomas Di Pauli (3) would get his second goal of the game on a breakaway to put the game away 6-2 as Jake Lucchini (5), and Jamie Devane (1) assisted Di Pauli’s goal. The Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins defeated the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 6-2.

Despite the loss, the Phantoms won the shots on goal total with thirty-two to the Penguins thirty. The Penguins were two for five on the power play while the Phantoms were zero for three. Phantoms goalie Alex Lyon made twenty-four of twenty-nine saves allowing five goals while Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith made thirty out of thirty-two saves allowing two goals.

The three stars of the game were Penguins right-winger Stefan Noesen with two goals, Penguins center Thomas Di Pauli with two goals, and Penguins left-winger Adam Johnson with one goal and two assists.

Both the Phantoms and the Penguins will play each other again on Friday at 7 pm from the PPL Center.

(players total for the year)