Despite a hard-fought first two games of the series, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms could not handle the Charlotte Checkers in Game 3 of their First Round matchup.
The Phantoms were soundly defeated 6-0 by the Checkers at Bojangles Coliseum to be eliminated from the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Game 1 on Tuesday saw the Phantoms come out victorious in a 4-3 contest to take a 1-0 series lead. After Lucas Carlsson opened the scoring for Charlotte, Adam Brooks tied the game with just over 7 minutes remaining in the first period. Lehigh Valley would rattle off three goals early in the second period – two from Tyson Foerster and one from Cooper Marody – and chased Charlotte goaltender Mack Guzda from the net for J.F. Berube before the Checkers tried to rally in the third and came up just short.
Riley Nash and Santtu Kinnunen pulled the Checkers closer with two goals in 38 seconds midway through the third period, but Samuel Ersson was able to shut the door at the end and his 28 saves helped the Phantoms win Game 1.
Game 2 became an instant classic as the contest reached double overtime in high-octane fashion on Thursday. Charlotte was able to notch two separate 2-goal leads – 2-0 and 4-2 – but the Phantoms would not quit chipping away. Artem Anisimov potted a power play goal in the final minute of the first period to pull Lehigh Valley within one, and Olle Lycksell scored 40 seconds into the third period to tie the game after a scoreless second.
After another pair of Checkers goals, Lycksell notched his second of the game and Elliot Desnoyers tied the game with just 6:24 remaining in the third period. Samuel Ersson stood on his head and made 45 saves, but Lucas Carlsson buried the game-winner with just 1:12 left in the second overtime to tie the series up. Mack Guzda made 38 saves for Charlotte in the game.
Friday night’s winner-takes-all Game 3 started out closer than what the final score would suggest. Lehigh Valley outshot Charlotte 8-7 in a scoreless first period and opened the second period with more energy, more shots on goal, and better scoring chances.
Unfortunately, the Checkers came in waves during the period and eventually racked up 6 goals from 6 different scorers, including the cherry on top from former Flyer and Phantom Connor Bunnaman with a shorthanded goal in the third period. Samuel Ersson was pulled from the Phantoms net for Nolan Maier after the fourth goal.
Patrick Giles’ first tally of the playoffs would prove to be the series-clinching goal to send Charlotte to the Atlantic Division Semifinals in a matchup against the Providence Bruins.
Olle Lycksell ends the Phantoms’ postseason run as their leading scorer with 4 points, with Tyson Foerster, Adam Brooks, and Cooper Marody tied for second with 3 points. Lycksell and Foerster will share the team lead in goals with 2 each, and Lycksell, Brooks, and Marody will share the team lead in assists. Samuel Ersson ends the playoffs with a 1-2 record, an .875 save percentage, and a 3.71 goals against average. Nolan Maier walks away from the series with a .750 SV% and 6.85 GAA after 18 minutes in one relief appearance.
Despite the loss, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms played hard this season and there are plenty of positives to take from this year. Flyers prospects such as Tyson Foerster, Samuel Ersson, Olle Lycksell, Elliot Desnoyers, Ronnie Attard, Adam Ginning, and Egor Zamula all had great years and earned NHL recalls. Foerster and Attard were named AHL All-Stars earlier in the year for their strong play, and the Phantoms were able to clinch their first playoff berth since 2018.
It was one heck of a season for the Phantoms despite an unfortunate ending to it that we didn’t want to see.
