Grebenkin and Smith Score First Goals with Phantoms

Penguins Prevail 5-3

March 16, 2025

Allentown, PA – Givani Smith (1st) and Nikita Grebenkin (10th) both scored their first goals as members of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins sought revenge with a 5-3 victory on Sunday afternoon on Kids’ Takeover Day.

A phantastic crowd of 7,967 fans, including an abundance of kids, injected youthful energy into the PPL Center air. Youth on-hand joined the action with appearances on the public address system, in-arena and television broadcasts.

The Baby Pens forced Lehigh Valley onto its heels early in the first period with opportunistic special teams chances. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton saw the game’s first power-play opportunity of the night, and Tristan Broz punished the Phantoms at 2:57 after a flubbed clearing bid in the defensive end.

Seconds later, Lehigh Valley went on its first power play of the night, but the Pens cashed-in shorthanded to double the score to 2-0. After the puck jumped the stick of Helge Grans, Joona Koppanen was off to the races on a breakaway chance. His shot to the high-glove side whizzed past Alexi Kolosov at 3:21.

Lehigh Valley did punch back and cut its deficit to 2-1 at 5:05 of the opening stanza. Shortly after the aforementioned power play expired, Ethan Sampson blasted an absolute missile from the top of the face-off circle into the net past Sergei Murashov. Ben Gleason earned the primary helper in his first game back with the Phantoms since January 17 after sustaining an injury.

In the second period, sound structure and gritty forechecking led to the Phantoms’ equalizer. At 3:32, Smith received a perfect pass from Elliot Desnoyers stationed beneath the goal line, and Smith converted his first as a Phantom from the side of the net.

But the Pens again used its special teams prowess to recover the lead before the second period expired. Sam Poulin’s shot from the high-slot was deflected at net front by Avery Hays for his 18th goal of the regular season.

Down 3-2 in the final frame, Lehigh Valley again rallied courtesy of a smooth power-play setup. Birthday boy Garrett Wilson, playing in his 278th game as a Lehigh Valley Phantoms to surpass Greg Carey for the franchise mark, served as playmaker for Nikita Grebenkin. At the net front, Grebenkin made his welcome addition known with a perfect finish at the 10:06 mark.

Tied 3-3, the Phantoms put forth a tremendous penalty kill effort of a 5-on-3 for 1:40 to keep the score knotted. Lehigh Valley finished the night 3-for-5 on the kill.

Late in regulation, the Pens pulled ahead for good courtesy of Valtteri Puustinen at the 16:24 mark. Puustinen redirected a shot from Owen Pickering for his 12th goal of the campaign. The Phantoms elected to pull Kolosov in favor of an extra attacker in the final minute, but Koppanen potted his second goal of the night at 19:18 to complete a 5-3 final.

The Phantoms return to action and comtinue its homestand on Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Admirals when former Phantoms favorite Cal O’Reilly returns to his former arena.

SCORING SUMMARY
1st 2:57 – WBS, T. Broz (17) (M. Laferriere) (PP) (0-1)
1st 3:21 – WBS, J. Koppanen (5) (Unassisted) (SH) (0-2)
1st 5:05 – LV, E. Samson (9) (B. Gleason, J. Avon) (1-2)

2nd 3:32 – LV, G. Smith (1) (E. Desnoyers, L. Belpedio) (2-2)
2nd 16:07 – WBS, A. Hayes (18) (S. Poulin, J. St. Ivany) (PP) (2-3)

3rd 9:54 – LV, N. Grebenkin (10) (G. Wilson, A. Richard) (PP) (3-3)
3rd 16:24 – WBS, V. Puustinen (12) (O. Pickering, B. Katchouk) (3-4)
3rd 19:18 – WBS, J. Koppanen (6) (Unassisted) (ENG) (3-5)

Shots:
LV 26 – WBS 22

PP:
LV 1/5, WBS 2/5

Goaltenders:
LV – A. Kolosov (L) (4-5-1) (18/22)
WBS – S. Murashov (W) (9-0-0) (23/26)

Records:
Lehigh Valley (30-23-7)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (33-17-8)

UPCOMING

Wednesday, March 19 (7:05) – Milwaukee Admirals at Phantoms – Pregame Happy Hour, $2 Draft Beers. Cal O’Reilly of the Milwaukee Admirals returns to PPL Center.

Friday, March 21 (7:05) – Syracuse Crunch at Phantoms

Saturday, March 22 (7:05) – Providence Bruins at Phantoms – First ever PHAN-CON! Costumed Characters. Fans can come dressed up as well. Photo Stations and lots of fun!

Friday, March 28 and Sunday, March 30 – NCAA Hockey Allentown Regional hosted by Penn State Nittany Lions

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