Phantoms Fall in OT to Rochester

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Phantoms claimed a 4-2 win in Rochester on Wednesday night in the first of two games against the Americans this week. The team they defeated on Wednesday was far from the one they saw on Friday night.

The Americans outshot the Phantoms, 40-18, in the game, but needed overtime to claim the 4-3 win from Lehigh Valley.

The first two periods were all Rochester and it showed on the scoreboard early.

Cal O'Reilly scored his seventh of the season at 5:59 of the first to put Rochester on the board. Tim Kennedy's first of the season at 11:47 made it 2-0.

Rochester outshot the Phantoms, 15-5, in the first period.

The second started with an early goal for the Phantoms as Greg Carey picked up his 16th of the season on a breakaway off a nice lead pass from Will O'Neill, who was back in the lineup after serving a one-game suspension.

The physical play picked up from there too. Sam Morin and Jean Dupuy dropped the gloves in a fight that left Morin with a nice shiner below his right eye and forced him to leave the game for most of the second. Morin returned to the ice with about one minute remaining in the second period.

The Phantoms tied the game at the 6:12 mark of the second period as Danick Martel deflected an O'Neill shot past Linus Ullmark. The goal was initially disallowed, but after review, was awarded to Lehigh Valley.

Rochester regained the lead at the midway point of the game, as Cole Schneider scored 12th of the season on the power play.

Again, the Phantoms were badly outshot in the second period, 16-4, but had pulled even in the game momentarily and had the game within reach.

The Phantoms turned things up a bit in the third and managed to tie the game at 8:44 on Chris Conner's eighth goal of the season.

The Phantoms outshot the Americans, 9-6, in the third period, but the game required overtime. Rochester came close to winning it late in regulation when Taylor Fedun hit the post.

Fedun made contact with iron again early in overtime before finally ending things with the game-winning goal on the power play 1:39 into overtime.

Alex Lyon stopped 36 shots in the loss while Ullmark made 15 saves in the win.

T.J. Brennan and Will O'Neil each had two assists. Jordan Weal also assisted on Conner's goal.

The Phantoms return to action next Friday night on the road against the Hartford Wolf Pack. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m.

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