Gahagen Lands First Shutout as Phantoms Top Hartford

Point Streak at 5, Phantoms are 4-0-1 in 2025

January 11, 2025

Hartford, CT – Parker Gahagen knocked away 26 Hartford Wolf Pack drives, including some tough and tricky and even point-blank chances, as the 31-year-old Army Captain secured his first career AHL shutout in a sterling 3-0 win for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Saturday night.

Hartford had its largest crowd in years enjoying a pregame ceremony to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the arrival of pro hockey to XL Center. After the ceremony, the contingent of over 10,000 was ready to cheer for some Wolf Pack goals. But Gahagen and the Phantoms had other ideas.

Garrett Wilson (8th) scored shorthanded to provide the Phantoms with all the offense they would need in their first shutout of the season. Emil Andrae (2nd) and Rhett Gardner (5th) with an empty-netter also scored.

Lehigh Valley (17-13-6) is on a five-game point streak to open 2025 with a 4-0-1 record. The Phantoms are four games over .500 for the first time this season and moved into a tie for fourth place with the Providence Bruins who lost to Springfield on Saturday.

14 different players have scored goals over the course of the point streak as the Phantoms have shown a balanced attack.

But this night belonged to “Parks.”

Gahagen made a save on Adam Sykora right at the net front in the third period to preserve a 1-0 lead. Later in the frame, Hartford thought they had put the puck in but the cage had been dislodged and the goal didn’t count. Last season at Bridgeport, Gahagen had a shutout broken up in the third period on a similar play in which a controversial goal for the Islanders counted after the officials reversed their decision of no goal due to a dislodged net.

Another shot was knocked high in the air and almost went in over the back of Gahagen but landed on the top of the cage. Phantoms players at the bench made a loud ruckus that was heard throughout the large, former NHL building with their thunderous stick-banging against the boards showing their approval of the terrific effort on that one.

Both teams traded chances in a scoreless first period that finished with shots even at 8-8. But the best chance didn’t count as a shot on goal when Samu Tuomaala’s rocket from the right circle beat Domingue but hit off the post and clanged away. Earlier in the period, Tuomaala connected from the left wing with Massimo Rizzo on the backdoor who was denied by a sliding Domingue in the best save of the opening frame.

Hartford (16-15-3) had the first power play of the game midway through the second period but it was the Phantoms who took advantage. After several key blocks by Adam Ginning, Emil Andrae and others, a loose puck would lead to a scoring opportunity the other way. Garrett Wilson pounced on the turnover in the neutral zone and cut towards his left to strike past the glove of the lefty goaltender Louis Domingue at 14:07 into the second period. Wilson’s eighth goal of the season was unassisted and was also Lehigh Valley’s fifth shorthanded goal of the campaign allowing the Phantoms to carry a 1-0 lead into the second intermission.

Elliot Desnoyers connected up ice with Emil Andrae to catch the Wolf Pack defense. Andrae carried up ice along with Samu Tuomaala on the other side on a 2-on-1. Andrae dangled from the left circle around a diving and spinning Hartford defender and waited for the obstacle to slide across before striking top shelf for his second goal in the last three games putting the Phantoms ahead 2-0 at 8:19 into the second period.

During a 4-on-4 with 5:30 left, Hartford pulled the goaltender to set up an extra-attacker situation at 5-on-4 that eventually became 6-on-4 for 33 seconds. But the Phantoms penalty kill remained perfect in January holding the Wolf Pack to 0-for-4 in the two-game weekend series and holding all opponents to 0-for-15 during the five-game point streak.

The Wolf Pack continued to press at 6-on-5 but eventually the Phantoms found an opportunity and Garrett Wilson connected with Gardner for an empty-net strike from the red line at 18:01 into the third to clinch the victory.

But Gahagen’s shutout bid was still on the line and there were 119 seconds standing between him and his career first. Lehigh Valley defenders took care of business the rest of the way to finish the blank sheet for Gahagen who won his third consecutive start.

The Phantoms conclude their busy weekend on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. at the Bridgeport Islanders. The Phantoms return to PPL Center on Wednesday, January 15 against the Belleville Senators with Pregame Happy Hour featuring $2 draft beer specials.

SCORING SUMMARY

2nd 14:08 – LV, G. Wilson (8) (Unassisted) (SH) (1-0)

3rd 8:19 – E. Andrae (2) (E. Desnoyers, M. Rizzo) (2-0)
3rd 18:01 – R. Gardner (5) (G. Wilson) (EN) (3-0)

Shots:
LV 26 – HFD 26

PP:
LV 0/1, HFD 0/2

Goaltenders:
LV – P. Gahagen (W) (4-1-1) (26/26)
HFD – L. Domingue (L) (4-10-1) (23/25)

Records:
Lehigh Valley (17-13-6)
Hartford (16-15-3)

UPCOMING

Sunday, January 12 (5:00) – Phantoms at Bridgeport Islanders

Wednesday, January 15 (7:05) – Phantoms vs. Belleville Senators, Pregame Happy Hour, $2 Beers

Friday, January 17 (7:05) – Phantoms at Rochester Americans

Saturday, January 18 (7:05) – Rochester Americans at Phantoms – Air Products Night, Children’s Book Donation Drive

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