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Point Streak Snapped, Phantoms Blanked at Bridgeport

Take First Regulation Loss of 2025

January 12, 2025

Bridgeport, CT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms were unable to get it going at the end of a busy weekend as Henrik Tikkanen’s 21 saves backstopped the host Bridgeport Islanders to a 5-0 shutout win on Sunday evening.

Lehigh Valley (17-14-6) opened the second half of the season with its first regulation loss of calendar year 2025 thus snapping the team’s five-game point streak. The Phantoms went from a 3-0 shutout victory at Hartford on Saturday to another shutout game on Sunday at Bridgeport but this time found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard.

36-year-old Chris Terry (6th, 7th) led the attack with a pair of goals for the Islanders. The AHL’s active career-leading scorer with 318 goals and 768 points scored late in the second period on the power play to make it 3-0 and then on a breakaway in almost the final minute to account for the 5-0 final margin.

Sawyer Boulton, the son of former NHL enforcer Eric Boulton who ended his career with Bridgeport, sparked the team just three minutes into the contest as the 20-year-old rookie ruffian dropped the gloves with Bridgeport’s Riley Piercey in an impressive tilt with multiple connections from both combatants.

Liam Foudy (10th) opened the scoring on a power-play strike from the top of the left circle to the upper-right corner to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead after one period.

Former Hershey Bear Brian Pinho (17th) knocked in a rebound at the side of the cage early in the second period to make it 2-0.

Rhett Garnder almost got it back with his drive from the right circle that found the post instead. That was the closest the Phantoms would come to breaking through against Tikkanen.

And Terry’s first of the night came midway through the second period from the top of the right circle to the upper-left corner.

The Islanders opened the door for Lehigh Valley in the third period giving the Phantoms a pair of power plays with some opportunities to climb back into the game but were unable to break through. Lehigh Valley pulled goaltender Cal Petersen to set up a 6-on-4 late in the game but the Islanders still held strong.

Out of a timeout, Bridgeport won a defensive zone faceoff and Marc Gatcomb raced past the defense on a breakaway with Petersen initially making a string stop to his left but veteran Gemel Smith was there to deposit the rebound and boost the lead to 4-0.

Terry blocked a shot at the blueline and sped past the Phantoms defense for his own breakaway with 1:02 left for his second goal of the game to seal the deal.

The Phantoms are back at PPL Center this week with home games on Wednesday against the Belleville Senators featuring $2 draft beer specials before the game and Saturday against the Rochester Americans on Air Products Night with a children’s book donation drive.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st 7:48 – BRI, L. Foudy (10) (C. Odelius, T. Thompson) (PP) (0-1)

2nd 4:40 – BRI, B. Pinho (17) (C. Terry, M. Warren) (0-2)
2nd 10:54 – BRI, C. Terry (6) (A. Jeffries, B. Pinho) (0-3)

3rd 16:37 – BRI, G. Smith (3) (M. Gatcomb, L. Foudy) (0-4)
3rd 18:58 – BRI, C. Terry (7) (Unassisted) (0-5)

Shots:
LV 21 – BRI 29

PP:
LV 0/4, BRI 1/2

Goaltenders:
LV – C. Petersen (L) (9-11-3) (24/29)
BRI – H. Tikkanen (W) (2-8-0) (21/21)

Records:
Lehigh Valley (17-14-6)
Bridgeport (8-22-4)

UPCOMING

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