Photo by Steve Kuzma/Flyerdelphia
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms completed their preseason last week with a 1-2-0 record in advance of Saturday night's season opener against the Syracuse Crunch. The first regular-season game for the Flyers AHL affiliate is set for Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. from PPL Center.
In their preseason opener on Wednesday, Sept. 30, things got ugly early in in Wilkes-Barre. The Phantoms trailed 3-0 less than eight minutes into the game on goals by Tom Kostopolous, Clark Seymour and Brett Stern.
The Phantoms would begin to claw back 45 seconds into the second on a goal by Taylor Leier. Midway through the game, The Penguins nearly made it 4-1 on a 4-on-1 break, but Anthony Stolarz made a spectacular diving save that turned into a goal for Lehigh Valley.
Cole Bardreau and Kevin Sundher went back on a 2-on-1 and Sundher buried it past Wilkes-Barre netminder Brian Foster. A give-and-go between Michael Parks and Danick Martel briefly tied the game at three, but a turnover by the highly-touted Samuel Morin at his own blue line gave the Penguins Adam Krause an unimpeded breakaway and he finished it to win the game for the home team.
After a home loss on Saturday in which Leier scored the only goal for the Phantoms, Lehigh Valley had a return engagement with the Baby Penguins in Allentown on Sunday.
It was nearly a carbon copy if Wednesday's tilt, but in reverse fashion. After Lehigh Valley went up 3-0 early in the second after goals by Petr Straka, Tim Brent and Nick Cousins, Wilkes-Barre tied it on three straight in the third on goals by Sahir Gill, Ty Loney, and Oskar Sundqvist.
The Phantoms would seal the game when Martel would put home a puck that bounced into the crease from the far-side corner.
Notes:
- It was announced today that Phantoms D Logan Pyett has sarcoma in his upper left leg and will be sidelined indefinitely. Flyers GM Ron Hextall issued the following statement: "Logan has been diagnosed with Sarcoma in his upper left leg. He will be out indefinitely. The club asks that the media respect Logan and his family’s privacy during this time. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the Pyett family."
- Andrew MacDonald cleared waivers during the week and was loaned to Lehigh Valley. Macdonald had this to say when asked about the demotion: I can't say I was exactly expecting that. It is what it is at this point. You just have to deal with it, do what you're asked, come down here, work hard on your game and see how it all plays out."
- MacDonald has been paired with Shayne Gostisbehere in practice.
- Head coach Scott Gordon named Colin McDonald team captain today. The three alternate captains are Tim Brent, Davis Drewiske and Andrew MacDonald.
- The following players have been assigned to the Phantoms ECHL affiliate, the Reading Royals: F Derek Mathers, G Martin Ouellette, G Connor Knapp, D Nick Luukko, D Maxime LaMarche and F Kevin Goumas.
Brent Baldwin is Lehigh Valley Phantoms beat writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @BBFlyerdelphia.
