Bears Hold off Phantoms to Take Game 1
May 1, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms News Release
Hershey, PA - The two-time defending Calder Cup Champions were keen to show their Championship-form in their first postseason game of the season and were able to push through with a 3-0 shutout victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in Game 1 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals on Wednesday night at GIANT Center. Game 2 of the Best-of-5 series takes place on Friday back in Hershey. The Phantoms will host Game 3 on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. at PPL Center.
"We just need to play a little bit more like they do," Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere said. "They were calm. We weren't. We turned the puck over. They didn't. They waited for their chances. They're the champs for a reason so let's learn and move on."
The key turning point came early in the third period as Hershey was barely hanging on to a 1-0 lead when Phantoms newcomer Alex Bump was denied at the doorstep twice by Shepard during a 5-on-3 power play. The Bears built momentum after the kill and eventually took advantage on the other side of the ice when Spencer Smallman picked a corner to make it 2-0.
But hold on a sec. The Phantoms were challenging a play. The GIANT Center crowd thought Lehigh Valley was contesting the legitimacy of the goal that Smallman had just scored. But the Phantoms were actually flashing back to the chance that Alex Bump had practically right on top of Shepard some two or three minutes earlier. Lehigh Valley had to wait until the next whistle to challenge that ruling and it took a long time before the next whistle would finally come...after Smallman scored for the Bears.
When the referee gave the waive-off sign for "no goal," the Hershey fans booed thinking the Bears' goal had been disallowed. But, eventually, the crowd came to realize that it was the Phantoms' try for a goal that they thought they had scored earlier that was actually the goal that was STILL disallowed. Amidst some amount of confusion in Chocolatetown, the Bears maintained their 2-0 lead. And they took it from there all the way to the finish.
"I think 5-on-5 we created," Rhett Gardner said. "I think we got to stay out of the box. We just got to work to get more zone time and I think that will come if we can get our forecheck going against them. I think we got a little stagnant in the neutral zone and they were bringing it right back down our throats. Credit to them. They're a really good transition team and we got to know that and not fuel it for them."
Garrett Wilson's shot from the right wing on a lead pass by Luchanko almost got past Shepard but he showed his athleticism with a snappy right pad save to thwart the Phantoms' captain. Ethan Samson's blast from the point also had a chance but Shepard got a piece to nudge it just far enough away that it tinged off the iron and out.
Hershey drew first blood midway through the first period as part of a delayed penalty. With the goalie pulled at 6-on-5, the Bears connected with open defenseman Chase Priskie beneath the left dot who scored past Parker Gahagen for a 1-0 lead at 9:16 into the game assisted by Pierrick Dube and Jake Massie.
Hershey had the territorial advantage in the first period and a 12-6 edge in shots as well.
The Phantoms got it going even more in the second period but were unable to break through. Oscar Eklind stole the puck from a Hershey defenseman behind the goal and connected in the right circle with Givani Smith who found Rhett Gardner out in front for a point-blank chance but Shepard made the key denial again. Olle Lycksell had a quick-transition chance on a connection from Jacob Gaucher on the boards but Shepard fought it off. And Alex Bump took a long lob down the ice and had a breakaway chance on Shepard. But, in a play that exemplified the bad luck of the evening, Bump's stick broke on him and the dangerous threat was immediately erased.
With 16:58 remaining in the third period and Lehigh Valley trailing only 1-0, the Phantoms had a glorious chance with 1:19 of 5-on-3 power play but Hershey barely held on...while holding off Alex Bump.
Smallman open on the backdoor on an ensuing offensive zone push and picked the upper-left corner past Parker Gahagen to make it 2-0.
Penalty troubles cost the Phantoms dearly in their comeback efforts. Lehigh Valley killed back-to-back Hershey power plays in the third to stay within two but the Phantoms also lost precious time. Eventually, Bogdan Trineyev scooped a loose puck after Bump lost an edge back on his own blue line. Trineyev walked it into the empty net to seal the 3-0 victory and the series advantage.
The Phantoms and Bears rematch for Game 2 of the series on Friday night in Hershey.
Lehigh Valley will host Game 3 on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. and will also be the home team for Game 4 on Friday, May 9 at 7:05 p.m. Sunday evening features a rally towel giveaway and all Phantoms home playoff games are "Orange Out" with fans encouraged to wear orange to the game.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 9:16 - HER, C. Priskie (P. Dube, J. Massie) (0-1)
3rd 7:00 - HER, S. Smallman (A. Limoges, H. Lapierre) (0-2)
3rd 18:49 - HER, B. Trineyev (M. Vecchione, H. Rybinski) (EN) (0-3)
Shots:
LV 26 - HER 27
PP:
LV 0/2, HER 0/4
Goaltenders:
LV - P. Gahagen (L) (2-1) (24/26)
HER - H. Shepard (W) (1-0) (26/26)
Hershey leads 1-0 in Best of 5 Series.
UPCOMING
Calder Cup Playoffs - Atlantic Division Semifinals
Best of 5 Series
Game 2 - Friday, May 2 - Phantoms at Hershey Bears
Game 3 - Sunday, May 4 (5:05) - Hershey Bears at Phantoms
* Game 4 - Friday, May 9 - Hershey Bears at Phantoms
* Game 5 - Sunday, May 11 - Phantoms at Hershey Bears
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