(Kate Frese/Sports Talk Philly)
By Tommy Hendricks, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms needed only one point to clinch their first playoff berth since 2009 on Wednesday night, but took two points in a 2-1 shootout win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Despite the good news, and news came from the game as well. Anthony Stolarz left the game just 1:32 in due to an apparent left knee injury after pushing across his crease to make a save. Alex Lyon came in and was fantastic in relief, making 33 saves on 34 shots.
The game's opening 20 minutes were played to a stalemate, with the Pens dominating the Phantoms for the 10th straight period. While the shot clock only showed a 13-9 advantage, Wilkes-Barre had the forecheck working double time early and often to hold Lehigh Valley to as few chances as possible.
The Pens got one of their best chances of the night in the form of a 4 minute power play after a double minor was assessed to Sam Morin for high-sticking. It proved to be a big test for Lyon as well, facing his first real action of the game after coming in off the injury to Stolarz. The Phantoms killed the penalty off, and went to the room having been shutout again by the Pens.
Lehigh Valley again got clean sheeted during the second, but not for lack of trying. The teams tightened up in the middle frame, making it extremely difficult for either team to have a clean break through the neutral zone. The Penguins again outshot the Phantoms, 11-7, with Lyon keeping his team in the game. To this point, it looked as if we may head to overtime scoreless.
That would have worked for the Phantoms, who just needed that one point, but Wilkes-Barre wanted to try to spoil the Phantoms opportunity. On a play coming across the Lehigh Valley blue line, T.J. Brennan got caught between two Pens. The first, Teddy Blueger, drove toward the slot and unleashed a wrister toward Lyon. Lyon made the save, but the rebound came flying back out. The second Penguin that caught Brennan, Dominik Simon, was right there to pop the puck into the yawning cage to break the scoreless tie.
In their last three meetings, Wilkes-Barre scoring the first goal seemed to take the air out of the Phantoms. This time, it seemed to fuel their drive. Knowing fully well that getting the game to overtime would clinch a playoff berth, Lehigh Valley applied full pressure to try to get back in the contest. Throwing everything they could toward Casey DeSmith from all angles, the Phantoms finally got the tying goal.
Maxim Lamarche turned at the faceoff dot and fired a shot toward the Penguins net, that rebounded off DeSmith and sat in the crease. Taylor Leier found the puck, and poked it home to tie the game. Simultaneously, Leier not only ended the shutout streak the Pens had against Lehigh Valley, but he secured a playoff for the Phantoms as well.
Lyon and his team held on to force overtime, taking the crucial standings point they needed since the start of the night. DeSmith and Lyon, who were the story of the game, proved to remain so in the extra session, forcing the game into a shootout.
The first two shooters in the shootout were Zach Aston-Reese for the Pens, and Brennan for the Phantoms. Both failed on their attempts, with Lyon making a big glove stop on Aston-Reese and Brennan losing control of the puck before he got a shot off.
Tom Kostopoulos came up next for the Pens, and put the puck wide to the glove side of Lyon. Corban Knight went for the Phantoms, and was able to go forehand to backhand and top shelf on DeSmith. It came down to Oskar Sundqvist, who had to score to keep the game going. He too went to Lyon's glove side, but tried to beat the Phantoms netminder to the post.
Lyon made the save, and the Phantoms went on to win the game. Lehigh Valley is heading to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time in their three seasons in Allentown. As for all-time Phantoms history, it's the first time since the 2009 Playoffs that the Orange and Black have had postseason hockey to play.
The Phantoms also got some help on Wednesday night, with the Springfield Thunderbirds beating the Providence Bruins, 4-3. If Lehigh Valley beats Providence on Friday night, they will officially clinch second place in the Atlantic division, and home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
3 Stars
1. Alex Lyon (LV) 33 saves, 3/3 in shootout, Win
2. Casey DeSmith (WBS) 33 saves, 1/2 in shootout, SO Loss
3. Taylor Leier (LV) Goal, +1
