Providence Rolls Past Phantoms

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms, battered with injuries and on their third game of the weekend, were no match for the rested Providence Bruins on Sunday afternoon.

The Bruins broke the game open in the second with three goals and added three more in the third for a 7-3 win over the Phantoms.

Jordan Szwarz got Providence on the board at 8:10. Andy Miele answered with a power-play goal from Chris Conner and Corban Knight at 17:00 to tie the game. The assist for Conner was his 300th professional point.

Providence regained the lead at 1:37 of the second period with a goal by Matt Grzelcyk. Noel Acciari padded the lead at 9:05 with his fifth goal of the season. Just under five minutes later, Colton Hargrove scored on the power play.

That was the end of Alex Lyon's afternoon after 24 shots. The rookie goalie made 20 saves.

The Phantoms did respond after that. Mark Zengerle scored with 1:27 left in the second to make it a two-goal game going to the third. Then Scott Laughton scored at 4:07 of the third to cut the lead to one and put the Phantoms back in the game.

But Providence responded quickly, just 45 seconds later as Austin Czarnik finished off a 3-on-1 to put the Bruins lead back at two. Midway through the period, Wayne Simpson scored to make it 6-3. Tommy Cross added an empty-net goal to cap the scoring. 

Anthony Stolarz made 10 saves on 12 shots in relief. Malcolm Subban picked up the win, making 21 saves.

The Phantoms dropped back to third in the Atlantic Division with the loss, two points behind Providence, and six points back of the division lead with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's win over Hartford. They return to the ice to face the division-leading Penguins on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. as they complete a four-game road trip.

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