Phantoms Sweep IceCaps with Matinee Victory
January 11, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
St. John's IceCaps News Release
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms scored early and often on Sunday afternoon en route to a 6-2 victory over the St. John's IceCaps at Mile One Centre.
Nick Cousins led the way with a three-point night as the Phantoms got goals from six different skaters. Anthony Stolarz was solid between the pipes for the visitors and collected the win with a 21-save performance.
Nicolas Blanchard scored both IceCaps' goals in a losing cause as the IceCaps have now dropped two straight games for the first time in 2015.
The Phantoms opened the scoring just 55 seconds into the game as Oliver Lauridsen floated a puck on net from the blue line that was deflected in front by Andrew Gordon and beat IceCaps starter Peter Budaj to give his team the early lead.
The Lehigh Valley lead was pushed to two on the power play with 12:28 remaining in the period as Jason Akeson found himself at the top of the left circle and dished a perfect pass to a waiting Cousins who made no mistake at the side of the net.
The goals kept coming for the Phantoms in the first period as Steven Delisle deflected an Adam Comrie point shot high behind Budaj for his first goal of the year, ending Budaj's night with three goals allowed on nine shots. Connor Hellebuyck entered the game in relief.
Blanchard got the IceCaps on the board with 16:32 left in the second as he took a pass from Kyle MacKinnon in the neutral zone, slid over the blue line and launched a perfect slap shot that beat Stolarz top shelf to cut the deficit to two.
Blair Jones pushed the Phantom lead back to three with 6:41 remaining in the second as he took a pass to Hellebuyck's left and lifted a quick shot into the top right corner behind Hellebuyck.
Blanchard notched his second of the night at 14:29 of the second as Kyle MacKinnon threw a puck on net that deflected off Blanchard's face and into the net behind Stolarz.
The Phantoms would get that goal back before the end of the period as Lauridsen collected his first goal of the season exactly three minutes later to give Lehigh Valley a 5-2 lead heading into the final 20 minutes.
Phantoms tough guy Jay Rosehill scored his second of the year 2:31 into the final frame to end the scoring.
The IceCaps now get set to host the Portland Pirates for a three-game set starting Wednesday, January 14 at 7:30 p.m. NST. Tickets are available at the Mile One Centre Box Office, by phone at (709) 576-7657 and online at www.mileoncecentre.com. Catch all the action with Brian Rogers at www.stjohnsicecaps.com, 930 AM, Rogers TV and www.ahllive.com.
Notes | Not dressed: Keaton Ellerby, Kris Fredheim, Brenden Kichton, Ryan Olsen, Eric O'Dell, Ralfs Freibergs, Patrice Cormier, Patrick Holland... St. John's went 0-for-4 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill... Lehigh Valley outshot St. John's 34-23... Molson Canadian Three Stars: 1. Nick Cousins 2. Oliver Lauridsen 3. Nicolas Blanchard ... IceCaps Hardest Working Player: Kyle MacKinnon.
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