By Michael Heilman

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms returned to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center Friday night for game two against the Providence Bruins. Alex Lyon returned to the Phantoms and started tonight’s game after spending time with the Flyers.

The Phantoms jumped to an early 1-0 when Greg Carey passed the puck to Cal O’Reilly (4), who ripped the shot passed Bruins goalie Dan Vladar for the goal with assists from Greg Carey (10) and David Kase (6). With the goal, Cal O’Reilly now has 600 career AHL points. The Bruins tied it up on a shorthand goal as Jack Studnicka (16) was able to pull Alex Lyon away from his goal net, passed the puck to Karson Kuhlman (3) who had an open net for the goal to tie the game 1-1 with eight minutes and forty-four seconds left in the first period.

Over a minute later, the Phantoms regained the lead 2-1 as David Kase (7) sent the puck from the corner to the stick of Mikhail Vorobyev (8) for the goal. Greg Carey (10), along with David Kase, assisted Vorobyev’s goal. A holding call against Bruins center Trent Frederic sent the Phantoms on the power play with less than thirty-seconds left in the first period. The Phantoms led 2-1 at the end of the first period and had a minute and thirty seconds left on the power play to start the second period. The Phantoms led the Bruins with ten shots to seven.

The Bruins quickly tied the game again 2-2 while the Phantoms were on the power play as Zach Senyshyn (3) went around the goal net, distracting Alex Lyon, passing the puck to Karson Kuhlman (4) who had an open net for the shorthanded goal and his second goal of the game. The Phantoms were struggling to control the puck, and it costs them as Brendan Gaunce (11) got the puck, spun and shot the puck that Lyon wasn’t ready for and the Bruins took a 3-2 lead with an assist from Oskar Steen (8). The Bruins added another goal with seven minutes and thirty-six seconds left in the second period in another two-on-one play as Brendan Woods (8) passed the puck to Ryan Fitzgerald (10) as he finished the play for the goal to make it a 4-2 Bruins lead as Brendan Woods and Zach Senyshyn (4) both assisted Fitzgerald’s goal.

The Phantoms would go on another power play after a high-sticking call against Bruins defenseman Jakub Zboril with over three minutes left to play in the second period. The Phantoms were able to pull within one after Morgan Frost (11) shot the puck that hit the stick of Andy Andreoff (5) for the goal to make it a 4-3 Bruins lead. Chris Bigras (10) also assisted Andreoff’s goal. The Bruins led 4-3 as time expired in the second period. The Bruins outshouted the Phantoms sixteen to eight.

The Phantoms fought hard in the third period doing everything they could to tie the game. The Phantoms almost tied the game with four minutes and five seconds left, but Bruins goalie Dan Vladar made a diving save falling on the puck to stop play. Not long after Vladar’s save, the Phantoms pulled Alex Lyon for the extra attacker. The Phantoms had plenty of chances to tie the game but would fall short 4-3 to the Providence Bruins. The shots total was thirteen to twelve in favor of the Bruins.

The Phantoms were one for three on the power play while Bruins went zero for one. The Phantoms had a total of thirty shots, and the Bruins had thirty-six. Phantoms goalie Alex Lyon was thirty-two of thirty-six saves, allowing four goals, and Bruins goalie Dan Vladar went twenty-seven of thirty saves, allowing three goals.

The three stars of the game were Phantoms center Cal O’Reilly with one goal and one assist, Bruins right-winger Zach Senyshyn with two assists, and Bruins right-winger Karson Kuhlman with two goals.

The Phantoms will have one more road tomorrow before the All-Star break at the XL Center Saturday at 7 pm against the Hartford Wolf Pack.