Phantoms Top Bears 4-2 in Preseason Victory

Kolosov Shines in Goal

October 5, 2024

Allentown, PA – Goaltender Alexei Kolosov went the distance in this one after a pair of partial preseason games with the Philadelphia Flyers. And the young goaltending prospect was dialed in as part of a 20-save performance that included multiple breakaway denials as well as a save at the end of the second period in which he practically pulled the splits. Backed by the solid netminding, Lehigh Valley broke through with three goals in the second period en route to a 4-2 preseason victory over the Hershey Bears on Saturday night at PPL Center.

Lehigh Valley (1-1-0) received a big performance from captain Garrett Wilson who registered a goal and an assist. Another veteran forward leader, Rhett Gardner, contributed two assists. Meanwhile, J.R. Avon and Brendan Furry scored a goal for a second time this week. Both players also lit the lamp for the Philadelphia Flyers in recent preseason action. Matt Brown completed the scoring for the Phantoms.

The Phantoms raced out to a 6-0 shots advantage against Hershey starter Clay Stevenson but couldn’t break through Alexis Gendron had three quality shots in the opening minutes playing on a top line with Furry and Gardner.

Lehigh Valley broke through on a late first-period power play with Avon blasting it home from inside the right dot after a nifty connection over to him from Garrett Wilson between the circles. Jacob Gaucher also scored on Avon’s top-shelf one-timer. Avon’s impressive shot came two days after a pretty goal in Philadelphia that came primarily from his wheels as he zipped past the New Jersey defense.

“Confidence goes a long way,” Avon said. “Got a great pass from Garrett Wilson tonight. That play doesn’t happen without him. I get to pick his brain a little bit on little plays in the neutral zone and in the O-zone. Just getting a little info from him. It’s been great. He’s been awesome with me and taking me under his wing a little bit and helping me out here and there. It’s been awesome.”

A first-period partial breakaway for Grant Cruikshank was the first of Kolosov’s impressive stops. And Ryan Hofer had a shorthanded breakaway in the second period but Kolosov got there with the right pad on perhaps an even better stop.

In between, Mike Vecchione beat Kolosov top shelf to get the Bears on the board at 1-1. But Lehigh Valley took over after that with a trio of markers in the middle frame.

With the Phantoms pulling their goalie on a delayed penalty, Gianfranco Cassaro sent the Bears scrambling with his point shot that was tipped by Rhett Gardner and off relief goaltender Mitch Gibson. Wilson muscled his way to the puck and knocked it home before Gibson could reestablish himself in the crease and the Phantoms were back on top again at 2-1 at 4:57 into the second period.

The Phantoms kept it up. Rhett Gardner dug a puck away along the end boards and Brendan Furry maneuvered to the left of the cage from behind the net with a little peak over his shoulder to go for the far post past the left skate of Gibson and a nice goal at 9:05 to make it 3-1. Furry also scored earlier in the week in Monday’s game for Philadelphia at the New York Islanders when he got a piece of an Emil Andrae point shot.

Just two minutes later, Zayde Wisdom helped start a 3-on-1 back the other way after a blocked shot  and Massimo Rizzo’s pass was perfectly on the tape of Matt Brown on the right of the cage who put an exclamation point on the sequence at 12:59 into the second period and a 4-1 lead for Orange and Black.

It wasn’t over though. Hershey found some inspiration and came at the Phantoms with more quality chances. Kolosov was ready. A poke-check on a Micah Miller breakaway almost got the Bears back into the game. A few minutes later, it was a quick right pad flash to kick aside Alex Sizdalev’s big drive.

The best was yet to come though. A Phantoms’ turnover in the closing seconds led to a huge chance for Justin Nachbaur in the left slot who offered a perfect blast aimed for the far post. But Kolosov anticipated nicely and practically pulled the splits in the very last moments of the second period with a highlight-reel caliber stop.

Hardy Haman Aktell completed the scoring with 8:55 left in the third when he rushed up ice off the bench and was mostly uncontested in the high slot to crank one home past the glove of Kolosov right after the Phantoms had killed a Bears’ power play.

Lehigh Valley outshot the Bears 32-22. The Phantoms were 1-for-4 on the power play while Hershey was held to 0-for-2.

The Phantoms conclude the preseason on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. with a road tilt at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Opening Night for the Phantoms is Saturday, October 12 against the Hartford Wolf Pack featuring a rally towel giveaway presented by Service Electric.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st 17:06 – LV, J. Avon (G. Wilson, J Gaucher) (PP) (1-0)

2nd 2:40 – HER, M. Vecchione (L. Philp, H. Thornton) (1-1)
2nd 4:57 – LV, G. Wilson (R. Gardner, G. Cassaro) (2-1)
2nd 10:55 – LV, B. Furry (R. Gardner) (3-1)
2nd 12:59 – LV, M. Brown (M. Rizzo, Z. Wisdom) (4-1)

3rd 11:05 – HER, H. Haman Aktell (Z. Funk) (4-2)

Shots:
LV 32 – HER 22

PP:
LV 1/4, HER 0/2

Goaltenders:
LV – A. Kolosov (W) (20/22)
HER – C. Stevenson (ND) (9/10)
HER – M. Gibson (W) (19/22)

Preseason Records:
Lehigh Valley (1-1-0)
Hershey (1-1-1)

UPCOMING

Sunday, October 6 (3:05) – Preseason – Phantoms at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Saturday, October 12 – Opening Night! – Phantoms vs. Hartford Wolf Pack – Rally Towels

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms officially begin the 2024-25 season with Opening Night at PPL Center on October 12 against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

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