Flyers Prospect Watch: Phantoms Take 2-1 Series Lead on Bears

Following a win in the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms were going up against Goliath in the Atlantic Division semi-finals. The back-to-back defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears were waiting.

In Game 1 on Wednesday night, the Phantoms were unable to solve Hunter Shepard in a 3-0 loss, their first of the playoffs. But in the two games that following this weekend, the Phantoms have now moved to the brink of the Atlantic Division finals.

In Game 2 on Friday, the two teams were locked in a scoreless game when Anthony Richard broke the ice with 1:19 remaining in the second period to give the Phantoms the lead.

Early in the third, Zayde Wisdom scored a shorthanded goal at 2:05 to make it 2-0. Hershey answered 45 seconds later on the power play, but Wisdom struck again at 6:34 for another shorthanded goal to make it 3-1, capping the scoring.

That brought the series back to Allentown on Sunday evening. The Phantoms were at it again shorthanded in the first, as Jacob Gaucher scored to make it 1-0.

The Bears scored twice in 1:24 early in the second, and Parker Gahagen exited at the 11:12 mark of the period with an injury after making 15 saves on 17 shots.

The Phantoms tied the game at two at 13:09 on a power-play goal by Garrett Wilson, then took the lead at 15:51 on a goal by Nikita Grebenkin.

After killing off three penalties with the lead, the Phantoms finally got some insurance with 5:51 remaining in the third, as Olle Lycksell scored off the rush to make it 4-2.

Cal Petersen stopped all 15 shots he faced in relief. Emil Andrae and Richard had two assists each.

The series continues on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. in Allentown for Game 4, as the Phantoms have a chance to advance with one more win in the Best-of-5 series. Game 5 would be on Sunday at 5 p.m. if necessary.