Back on Track. Phantoms Demolish Bears 4-1

Bump Scores First Goal Since Return to Lineup

February 20, 2026

Hershey, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms put it all together in an impresive 4-1 win on Friday night in Chocolatetown in the first of a two-game weekend series. Alex Bump (8th) opened the scoring in just his third game back from his return from injury. Aleksei Kolosov (31/32) was excellent. But it was a combined team effort filled with winning board battles and getting to pucks first that drove John Snowden’s contingent to its first victory in Hershey this season.

Cooper Marody (5th), Tucker Robertson (11th) and Phil Tomasino (3rd with Lehigh Valley) also found the back of the net. Meanwhile, a frustrated Bears team took out its frustrations on its rivals to the tune of three fights and some early dismissals thus potentially setting the stage for a feisty and spirited rematch in Hershey tomorrow night with the Phantoms bringing the brooms out in search of the two-game sweep.

Lehigh Valley (22-22-4) scored goals just 33 seconds apart in the opening frame to establish a 2-0 advantage. Bump was stationed on the right of the cage to get to the rebound of a Christian Kyrou blast from center-point for a power-play putback and also his first goal since December 17. Bump returned to the lineup on February 14 after missing almost two months due to injury. The Phantoms ended a streak of allowing the opponents to score the first goal of the game. And Lehigh Valley didn’t let go of that first-goal momentum in improving to 13-0-2 when striking for the initial tally. The Phantoms and Grand Rapids are the only AHL teams undefeated in regulation when scoring the first goal of the game.

Marody followed that up with a little good fortune helping his fifth of the year. Anthony Richard’s blast from the blue line went over the shoulder of goaltender Clay Stevenson and off the glass and stanchion somehow tricking the Bears’ backstop into believing the puck had gone to the other side. With Stevenson’s back turned and unable to find the puck, Marody buried the bouncer from the left dot into the wide-open net for a 2-0 lead.

Continued pressure had the Bears on their heels early in the second period with Hershey’s skaters unable to find an exit. The sustained cycle and continued retrievals successfully wore down the Chocolate and White allowing Robertson to slip to the low slot undefended. Lane Pederson on the right boards found Robertson down low who went from right-to-left across the crease to bury the backhander past Stevenson at 4:32 into the second period for a 3-0 lead.

Robertson’s 11th of the season also gives the Toronto native a three-game goal streak and he also has four goals in the last five games.

Corey Schueneman (3rd) buried one from the high slot on the power play to get the Bears on the board at 10:02. But that would be it for Hershey.

Phil Tomasino converted at the net front bar-down over the shoulder of Stevenson on an impressive spinning assist by Jacob Gaucher to connect with him out on front. Alexis Gendron started the sequence with his speedy entry flying up the left wing and shot from the corner to handcuff the goaltender setting up Gaucher’s impressive puck retrieval and assist to Tomasino.

Devin Kaplan mixed it up with Grant Cruikshank in the second period. And more feisty play was brewing in the third period with Dalton Smith dropping the gloves with Garrett Wilson late in the game. And then Smith agitated again and had a second fight, this time with Hunter McDonald, with just five seconds left. Lane Pederson and Brett Leason also found themselves with early exits when the two got into a slashing battle at the red line while trying to change. Both were assessed 10-minute misconducts.

The two rivals meet again on Saturday night in the rematch as the Phantoms look to finish off the two-game series sweep.

The Phantoms open a three-game homestand on Wednesday night against the first-place Providence Bruins. Lehigh Valley will then host the Hartford Wolf Pack for a pair of games on Saturday, February 28 and Sunday, March 1 at 3:05 p.m. Sunday’s game to conclude the homestand is meLVin’s Birthday Party with all his mascot friends…and you’re invited!

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