Photo: Nina Weiss/Flyerdelphia
This weekend is a crucial juncture for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in their quest to make the American Hockey League playoffs. Coming into Friday's battle with the Springfield Falcons, the Phantoms sat 10 points behind the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who hold the last playoff spot in the division. Coincidentally, Bridgeport invades the PPL Center Saturday night.
But first the Phantoms had to address the task at hand. Good old fashioned toughness got it done.
Aaron Palushaj and Cole Bardreau tallied goals, and Anthony Stolarz made 37 saves to backstop Lehigh Valley to a tight 2-1 victory Friday night in Allentown.
In the first period, both teams had chances, but Springfield got the best one early. Roughly six minutes into the contest, Jordan Szwarz had a wide open net from the bottom of the far circle, but the puck hit the crossbar, hit the post and bounced out. At the next stoppage, there was a brief review, but it was determined the puck had not crossed the goal line and the game remained scoreless.
Unfortunately for the Phantoms, Springfield would get on the board minutes later. An ill-advised turnover by Lehigh Valley defenseman Maxim LaMarche at his own blue line led to Greg Carey skating in all alone. He snapped a shot from the slot through the legs of Stolarz. While he got a piece of it, it rolled through his legs and trickled into the net. Carey's 21st of the season was unassisted at 10:50.
In the second, the Phantoms got a very early power play and were able to strike. After a scramble in front, Petr Straka got a rebound in the low slot and threw it on net. There was another scramble, this time, Bardreau drove the net and stuffed the puck underneath Falcons goaltender Marek Langhamer. The goal was Bardreau's 8th of the season.
The feistyness of the period came from Bardreau. He was cross checked by Henrik Samuelsson in a scrap. Both players landed a few solid blows, but the edge went to Bardreau.
Late in the frame, Lehigh Valley got a lead it would not relinquish when Straka found Palushaj on a break in the neutral zone and the forward was able to come in free and clear. After a backhand deke in the slot, he slipped the puck through Langhamer's five-hole. The goal at 17:14 was Palushaj's 10th of the season.
Lehigh Valley had a golden chance to give themselves a two-goal lead 37 seconds into the final stanza when Dustin Jefferey put the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty but the Phantoms failed to convert. After that, the home team clamped down defensively to seal the victory.
Notes: Bardreau's goal was Lehigh Valley's 14th power play marker in the last 11 games. Stolarz 37 saves was his most since he stopped 39 against Binghamton on Dec. 29.
Quotes: Scott Gordon, on if there's any extra emphasis with Bridgeport coming in Saturday: "To be honest with you, every game is important because of where we are in the standings. Going into the game 10 points behind Bridgeport, we have them tomorrow and it's an important game, but it doesn't really mean anything if we don't win the game tonight. That, to me, is the most important thing, and now we move on. We have them 3 more times and when you look at the gap between us, if you can win those three games, that gets you to within four points."
Aaron Palushaj on the goal: "I had a fortunate bounce on my breakaway and I buried my chance, but that was a huge power play goal earlier in the period for us. We closed it out, Stolie played really well."
Anthony Stolarz on facing a large number of shots: "Tonight, the guys played a great game. We gave up 38 shots, but a lot of them came from the outside and a lot of them were shots from the point that I was able to see so credit to them."
3 Stars: 3) LV-Petr Straka (2 assists) 2) LV-Aaron Palushaj (Goal) 1) LV-Anthony Stolarz (37 Saves, Win)
Brent Baldwin is Lehigh Valley Phantoms beat writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @BBFlyerdelphia.
