Phantoms Clipped in High-Scoring Affair

Dorwart Scores Twice but Charlotte Hangs On 8-5

January 23, 2026

Allentown, PA – The goals came fast and frequently. And practically in record proportions. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms kept digging their way out of tough deficits but ultimately were never able to equalize and the Checkers hung on for a wild 8-5 victory at PPL Center on Friday night.

Karsen Dorwart (6th, 7th) scored a pair of goals in the second period to twice pull the Phantoms to within a single tally. Not bad for a team that had dug itself a three-goal hole to begin the contest. Alexis Gendron (8th) also made it a one-goal game in the third period with just 5:04 left as it appeared the Phantoms may have yet another miraculous comeback in them. But Charlotte (23-12-3) avoided a repeat of its December 29th appearance at PPL Center when the Phantoms dramatically tied it with two goals in the last 32 seconds. The Checkers scored two empty-netters to seal the victory while extending their point streak to six.

Lehigh Valley (19-16-4) also had goals from Christian Kyrou (6th) and Anthony Richard (11th) who was skating in his 600th career professional game.

The comeback efforts were terrific. And Lehigh Valley thrived on the special teams with a pair of man-advantage goals. But, ultimately, it was the slow start that proved most costly to the Phantoms.

Mikulus Hovorka (2nd) scored just 54 seconds into the game on his drive from the right circle to the far post for the fastest goal surrendered by the Phantoms this season. Nolan Foote (11th) made it 2-0 at 4:45 with a similar far-post snipe from the right circle, this time on an odd-man rush.

Kyrou got one back at 9:27 when he chopped down a Checkers’ clearing try and zoomed forward to blast one past Louis Domingue five-hole making it 2-1 on his unassisted strike.

Charlotte captain Trevor Carrick (4th) found a way from center-point on a shot that dribbled between the skates of Carson Bjarnason at 11:50 on a 6-on-5 delayed penalty goal to make it 3-1. Bjarnason was pulled for the first time this season and Yaniv Perets entered in relief.

Rookie Brett Chorske (6th) scored from the bottom of the left circle on a sharp angle after some snappy and rapid passing during an odd-man rush that began with a Phantoms’ turnover in the neutral zone. Charlotte had pushed its lead to 4-1.

Phantoms head coach John Snowden called his timeout at that point and liked the way his team responded after its shaky start.

Phil Tomasino found Richard and made a perfect seam-pass across at 17:36 to give the Phantoms momentum into the intermission even though they were still trailing 4-2.

Lehigh Valley kept it going in the second period with a quick shot from the left circle by Karsen Dorwart at 5:32 making it 4-3.

But Robert Mastrosimone was open in the high slot just 58 seconds later to receive Wilmer Skoog’s feed from behind the goal and his blast pushed the advantage up to 5-3.

Dorwart’s second goal came on the power play at 9:31 and the Phantoms were back to within a goal against at 5-4. And it would stay that way for the next 19 minutes. Lehigh Valley had some strong chances on Domingue in efforts to equalize but ultimately the Checkers got a big goal from Matt Benning (6th) at 8:32 of the third period giving Charlotte some breathing room again at 6-4.

Lehigh Valley wasn’t done. Alexis Gendron sniped from the top of the left circle to the short side of Domingue on some nice work by Jacob Gaucher to set him up for a power-play goal at 14:56 cutting the margin down to 6-5. It was the third time Lehigh Valley had pulled to within a goal but Charlotte received late empty-netters from rookie Jack Devine (12th) and NHL veteran Noah Gregor (1st) in his Charlotte debut to conclude the night.

The Phantoms gave up a season high for goals in a game and also equaled a season high for goals allowed in a period.

It was the most goals given up by Lehigh Valley since a 9-1 loss to Providence on January 21, 2017 which was also the all-time record for most goals given up by the Phantoms franchise in a game. It is only the third time ever for Lehigh Valley to surrender eight or more goals in a game. The 13 goals combined are the third-most in Lehigh Valley history and the most at PPL Center since Lehigh Valley’s record-setting 10-6 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on April 7, 2019.

The homestand continues Saturday night against the rival Hershey Bears at PPL Center. The Phantoms are also at home next weekend on Saturday, January 31 against the Bridgeport Islanders and also Sunday, February 1 at 3:05 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on meLVin Youth Jersey Day presented by Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, Service Electric and Velaspan.

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