Photo: Nina Weiss/Flyerdelphia
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms came into Saturday night's contest with the Rochester Americans looking to build off of Wednesday's 6-3 win over Binghamton.
Build on it they did, and then some.
Danick Martel (Pictured) had three points, Nick Cousins had 3 points, and Anthony Stolarz made 33 saves to lead a 7-1 romp on Saturday night.
Chris Conner got the home team on the board just 4:37 in the first. Shayne Gostisbehere got the puck at Center point, and unleashed a shot past that hit Conner's stick at the near point. It was Conner's fifth of the season.
Martel got his first of the night and fourth of the season when he tapped in the rebound of a Christian Marti shot from the far circle at 13:57. The goal came 5 seconds after a cross-checking penalty to Rochester's Colby Robak expired.
The Phantoms' almost made it three-nilwith 90 seconds left in the period, but Americans' netminder Nathan Lieuwen stoned Kevin Goumas, who was stationed at the edge of the crease.
In the second, Lehigh Valley exploded.
Kevin Sundher got his first since being called up from the Reading Royals at 1:44, on assists from Tyrell Goulbourne and Evan Rankin.
Goulbourne was pinnedin the corner with the puck, and somehow made a nifty backand pass to Sudher in the far circle. Sundher unleashed a shot and it found the back of the net.
Less than two minutes later, Robak took a pass from Matt Donovan and put it past Stolarz from the circle. It was his second of the season.
About three minutes later, Martel nearly had his second of the night, but a puck he chipped up and over Lieuwen came off the inside off the post. The goal light, came on, but various replays showed it never crossed the line.
A few seconds after that, Taylor Leier finished off a pretty tic-tac-toe passing play from the slot on the power play, as Jerome Leduc was off for Delay of Game. Assist went to Cousins and Gostisbehere.
Cousins got his fifth of the season after taking a pass from Conner and putting it up over Lieuwen's shoulder. The secondary assist went to Petr Straka. Martel got his second of the night when on a three on one with Pavel Padakin and Mark Alt, he held on to the puck and roofed it onto the net.
Straka added a goal at 17:55 on the power play to close out the scoring.
Notes: F Cole Bardreau was seen in the press box in a full leg brace. The injury occurred Wednesday, and is separate from the injury that he recently returned from. There has not yet been a timetable announced for his return.
Quotes: Danick Martel on his three on one goal: "I did look for the pass, you always try to have two options. When their guy played the pass, I just shot it and it went in, the luck was on my side."
Nick Cousins on confidence driving the team: "Everyone is playing with confidence. 6 and 7 goals, that's the most we've ever scored since I've been on the team. It's nice to see everyone contributing, it's not just one line. It's all the lines. It's good to see and it's only going to help our group moving forward playing with confidence."
Head Coach Scott Gordon on the play of Anthony Stolarz: "Stolie played tonight the way he has played all season. He's been real consistent. The thing I like about what he's been doing is if he's not controlling his rebounds he's tracking them really well and is always prepared for the 2nd shot. That in of itself has made the game easier for him."
3 Stars: 3) LV-Nick Cousins-(Goal, Two assists) 2) LV-Anthony Stolarz (33 Saves) 1) LV-Danick Martel (2 goals, assist)
Up Next: The Phantoms returm to the ice Saturday at PPL Center when they face the Albany Devils
