By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Once again, the top two teams in the AHL this season played an even game from start to finish. And in the end, the team that came out on top in the regular season got the last laugh for the second straight day.
Game 2 required overtime, but it was Miro Aaltonen who finished off an excellent passing play by the Toronto Marlies to win the game with 9:01 left in the extra session by a 3-2 final, dropping the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to a 2-0 series deficit.
The Phantoms opened the scoring in the first period as Mark Friedman finished with a nice shot off the rush at 7:54 of the opening period.
Less than two minutes later, the game was tied. With the Phantoms killing a penalty, a shot from the high slot by Ben Smith was deflected by Trevor Moore and in to tie the game at one at 9:34.
The Phantoms were outshot, 20-9, in the first period, having to kill off three penalties and allowing the one power-play goal.
The score held through a scoreless second period that was much more evenly played. The Marlies had a 10-9 shots advantage in the second and both teams had a pair of power-play chances.
In the third, much like Game 1, it was a question of which team budged first. The Phantoms broke the tie at 5:17, as Mikhail Vorobyev picked up a rebound to give the Phantoms a 2-1 lead. Toronto answered just 23 seconds later, getting a two-on-one with Carl Grundstrom beating Alex Lyon high to the glove side.
Shots were 12-11 Phantoms in the third period as the game shifted to overtime.
Just over a minute into the overtime, the Phantoms nearly scored the winning goal. Mike Vecchione lifted a rebound off the crossbar and wide, but the goal light went on as a Toronto stick entered the net and moved the twine. The play was reviewed and deemed no goal.
At that point, the Phantoms had the first six shots of the overtime and were pressing to end the game and even the series. For the next seven minutes, the Marlies would overtake the Phantoms, taking six of the next seven shots. The sixth came at 10:59 of the overtime and was the result of a nice passing play that would end the game.
Grundstrom entered the zone off the rush and drew Phil Myers along the boards. Grundstrom was able to center to a cutting Calle Rosen, who quickly passed across to Andreas Johnsson at the right circle while getting Travis Sanheim to drop to the ice in an attempt to block. Johnsson froze Lyon, faking the shot, then centered to Aaltonen who tapped into the open net to secure the Game 2 win for the Marlies.
Lyon finished the game with 44 saves on 47 shots in the loss. Garret Sparks, who moments before the game-winning goal robbed T.J. Brennan with the glove on the Phantoms final bid of the game, made 35 saves on 37 shots in the win.
The series now shifts to Allentown with the Phantoms trailing 2-0. Game 3 in on Wednesday night from PPL Center at 7 p.m.
