CLINCHED!

Petersen 3-0 Shutout Propels Phantoms to Postseason

April 19, 2024

Bridgeport, CT – The Phantoms rode a 23-save effort from Cal Petersen all the way into the Calder Cup Playoffs as Lehigh Valley’s 3-0 win at the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday night officially clinched the team’s spot in the AHL postseason. Elliot Desnoyers (5th), Adam Brooks (13th) and Bobby Brink (7th) provided more than enough offense on the special night.

Lehigh Valley (31-30-9) will now return to the Calder Cup Playoffs for a second consecutive season and also for the fourth time in the last six seasons in which the Calder Cup Playoffs have been held (since 2017). The Phantoms in the Calder Cup Playoffs is presented by Provident Bank.

Lehigh Valley’s first-round opponent will be either the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins or Charlotte Checkers. The Phantoms are officially locked in as the 6-seed but it remains to be determined who will land in the third-place spot.

The Phantoms’ lineup was boosted and bolstered by the return of four prominent players from the Philadelphia Flyers. The reloaded and reinforced group included the arrival of Bobby Brink, Olle Lycksell, Ronnie Attard and Adam Ginning.

The Phantoms got off to a hot start and pressured big goaltender Henrik Tikkanen with some strong chances at the outset. An early strike from Elliot Desnoyers at 6:27 into the game brought up the beginnings of a Clinching Feeling in Connecticut. Victor Mete offered a strong stretch-pass up the right wing boards that connected with Zayde Wisdom who identified Desnoyers rushing into the slot. The second-year pro buried it on the stick side of the Bridgeport goaltender on the rush for the game’s opening tally.

Bridgeport got some strong chances in a resurgent second period but Petersen was on top of his game with a number of strong saves as well as covers in scrambly situations. Newcomer Ashton Calder broke free behind the Phantoms defense and had a great chance on his partial break but cranked it off the left post.

Meanwhile, Olle Lycksell continued buzzing in his first game back with the Phantoms since February 26. The team’s leading goal scorer had four pickoffs in the first period alone. And then another intercept would end up doubling the Phantoms’ lead. Tanner Laczynski tipped a Bridgeport attempt to rim the puck around from behind their goal. The glance came right to Lycksell at center point who creatively tipped the puck towards the slot where Adam Brooks was open to finish off the pretty play going to the upper-left corner. The Brooks goal at 4:43 into the second period extended Lehigh Valley’s advantage to 2-0.

Petersen made it look easy in finishing off his second shutout of the season. With seven more saves in the third period including some challenging denials off the shoulder. Eventually, the Phantoms nudged a defensive zone faceoff all the way down ice on a long clear by Hunter McDonald that was chased down by Bobby Brink who was able to hold off a defender and score the playoff-clinching empty-netter with 2:17 left.

The Phantoms return to PPL Center Saturday night against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Sunday afternoon against the Charlotte Checkers in the final regular season tune-ups before the Calder Cup Playoffs next week. Sunday’s game celebrates “Our Valley, Our Home” in the regular season finale.

SCORING SUMMARY
1st 6:27 – LV, E. Desnoyers (5) (Z. Wisdom, V. Mete) (1-0)

2nd 4:43 – LV, A. Brooks (13) (O. Lycksell, T. Laczynski) (2-0)

3rd 17:43 – LV, B. Brink (7) (R. Gardner, H. McDonald) (EN) (3-0)

Shots:
LV 30 – BRI 23

PP:
LV 0/1, BRI 0/1

Goaltenders:
LV – C. Petersen (W) (23/23) (31-30-9)
BRI – H. Tikkanen (L) (27/29) (7-6-2)

Records:
Lehigh Valley (31-30-9)
Bridgeport (24-38-9)

Phantoms Tickets are available HERE

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