Luchanko Debuts. Belleville Rallies Against Phantoms
Samson and Desnoyers Score in 3-2 Setback
March 28, 2025
Belleville, ON – 18-year-old Jett Luchanko made his Lehigh Valley Phantoms debut as Lehigh Valley took a 2-1 lead in the third period. But the Belleville Senators rallied from behind with back-to-back goals, including a game-winner from former Phantom Hayden Hodgson, to take a 3-2 decision on Friday night at CAA Arena.
Ethan Samson (10th) and Elliot Desnoyers (5th) struck for the Phantoms who probably deserved a positive outcome as Lehigh Valley largely outplayed the B-Sens in this one. But veteran goaltender Malcolm Subban stood on his head with a number of remarkable saves among his 32 total to hold off the Orange and Black thus providing the Senators the chance for the comeback.
Most notable was his incredible diving denial of Hunter McDonald’s blast on the backdoor when he reached over with the paddle to somehow get a piece of the potential tying goal in the third period. Subban’s 31st save of the game might have been his best of the night but he also had other tremendous stops in his sparkling evening including a left-pad stop on a Brendan Furry breakaway as well as another stop on Alexis Gendron in tight as part of a hectic sequence in the second period in which Belleville somehow found a way to hang on. Helge Grans ripped a one-timer from the right dot on a great seam-pass from Givani Smith just moments later but Subban speared that with the glove.
The Phantoms were off and running with three consecutive power plays to begin the game but Belleville’s penalty kill held off the young newcomer, Luchanko, as well as the rest of the Phantoms.
The fourth power play was the charm with Grans connecting with Nikita Grebenkin on the move and into the zone. Grebenkin flipped a perfect connection to Samson through a couple of defenders and Samson cranked a shot from the right slot off the left post and in past the blocker of Subban at 13:30 into the contest to give Lehigh Valley the initial 1-0 lead. The Phantoms outshot Belleville 11-4 in the first period and had five power plays as well but the B-Sens hung in there and kept it close.
Stephen Halliday (16th) drove to the net front with a shot that went through Petersen and barely dribbled in across the line while the Phantoms goaltender received some contact in the crease. Tyler Boucher, son of the former Philadelphia Phantoms and Flyers goaltender Brian Boucher, received an assist on the play and almost got credit for the goal but the puck crossed the line before Boucher could nudge it in the rest of the way.
Lehigh Valley (31-26-7) peppered away in the second period with 14 shots on goal and several others that missed or were blocked but somehow couldn’t break Subban.
Some great work in the zone early in the third period preventing Belleville from clearing eventually led to another Phantoms lead. Massimo Rizzo and Hunter McDonald and Louie Belpedio were responsible for several keeps in the zone and Lehigh Valley eventually worked it back to Belpedio who froze everyone with his fake shot. The veteran defenseman quickly connected with Rizzo in the right circle who found an open Desnoyers at the net-front for the chip in to put the Phantoms back on top at 2-1.
A whiffed pass resulted in an easy steal for Rizzo with a chance right in front of the net but his shot just missed upstairs. Moments later, Djibril Torre’s shot from the right point perhaps deflected off a Phantoms’ stick and past the shoulder of Petersen as Belleville tied it at 2-2 at 10:38 into the third.
Djibril Torre had earlier fought with Garrett Wilson in a heavyweight scrap in the second period with Wilson untangling from the big 6’7″ blueliner’s grasp to land some hard connections.
Just 1:23 later, a shot from the left point went off of the former Phantom, Hodgson, at the right of the crease for the go-ahead goal.
Subban’s incredible save on McDonald on the backdoor kept the B-Sens ahead. Lehigh Valley had its eighth power play with 2:46 left and then had Cal Petersen pulled for an extra attacked for a 6-on-5. Desnoyers hustled back to spectacularly steal the puck from Jan Jenik as he was winding to shoot for the empty net to keep the Phantoms alive but it eventually went for naught as the Senators hung on for the 3-2 decision.
The first-rounder, Luchanko, was the #13 overall selection in the 2024 draft. In October he made history as the youngest player in Philadelphia Flyers’ history at 18 years and 1.5 months old. Now joining the Phantoms from the Guelph Storm of the OHL, Luchanko became the second-youngest in Phantoms franchise history at 18y 7m 7d old which is just one week older than Zayde Wisdom was when he debuted on Feburary 6, 2021 at 18y 6m 30d. Luchanko is just the fifth 18-year-old to suit up for the Phantoms also joining Scott Laughton, Nick Cousins and Derek Mathers as well as Wisdom.
Lehigh Valley’s road-trip continues on Saturday at the Laval Rocket who are in first place in the North Division and are also tops in the AHL with 42 wins.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 13:30 – LV, E. Samson (10) (N. Grebenkin, H. Grans) (PP) (1-0)
2nd 5:04 – BEL, S. Halliday (16) (T. Boucher, F. Roos) (1-1)
3rd 2:58 – LV, E. Desnoyers (5) (M. Rizzo, L. Belpedio) (2-1)
3rd 10:38 – BEL, D. Toure (2) (G. Pilon, P. Daoust) (2-2)
3rd 12:01 – BEL, H. Hodgson (5) (F. Roos, K. Washkurak) (2-3)
Shots:
LV 34 – BEL 23
PP:
LV 1/8, BEL 0/4
Goaltenders:
LV – C. Petersen (L) (11-14-3) (20/23)
BEL – M. Subban (W) (11-6-3) (32/34)
Records:
Lehigh Valley (31-26-7)
Belleville (30-24-8)
UPCOMING
Saturday, March 29 (7:00) – Phantoms at Laval Rocket
Wednesday, April 2 (10:30 am) – Phantoms at Bridgeport Islanders
Friday, April 4 (7:05 pm) – Phantoms vs. Hershey Bears. Berks $1 Hot Dogs
Saturday, April 5 (7:05 pm) – Phantoms vs. Springfield Thunderbirds. Los Fantasmas!
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