Sandin 2 Goals, Metcalf 39 Saves, Point Streak at 9
January 14, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms News Release
Lehigh Valley Phantoms goaltender Garrett Metcalf
(Lehigh Valley Phantoms)
Wilkes-Barre Twp, PA - Garrett Metcalf turned in a phenomenal performance with 39 saves to improve to 2-0-0 since joining the Phantoms as Lehigh Valley found a way to extend their record point streak to nine games with a 4-3 victory at the Wilkes-Bare/Scranton Penguins on Friday night.
Linus Sandin scored two goals while Cal O'Reilly and Adam Clendening both registered three-point games with one goal and two assists apiece. Lehigh Valley is 7-0-2 in its last nine games for the longest point streak in team history since the Phantoms arrived to Allentown in 2014. It is the longest point-streak for the Phantoms franchise in over 17 years dating back to the then-AHL record 17-game win streak of the Philadelphia Phantoms in October and November of 2004.
Lehigh Valley (10-11-7), playing its first game in nine days, saw the team shaking off some amount of rust as they were outshot 32-11 through the first 40 minutes but the Phantoms' newest goalie, and sixth goalie of the season for Lehigh Valley, Garrett Metcalf, kept the game tied at 1-1 while the Phantoms in front of him continued to compete and block.
Felix Robert scored just over three minutes into the contest on the fourth shot of the game for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (9-15-4). After that came 32 consecutive saves from Metcalf in a streak that extended into the third period.
Sandin's first goal of the night came on the power play in the first period on a one-timer in the slot set up by Cal O'Reilly's 515th career assist in the AHL. Adam Clendening provided the secondary assist from center-point rotating the puck over to O'Reilly on the right boards.
Metcalf and the Phantoms somehow hung on to keep the game tied at 1-1 through the second period.
Early in the third came a Phantoms turnover in the corner that led to a Kyle Olson shot in front that was denied off the left pad of Metcalf for one of his best stops of the night. Shortly thereafter, Sandin raced up the right boards and sniped to the upper-near corner on the stick side of the lefty-style goalie Alex D'Orio for a 2-1 lead.
A few minutes later came a Linus Hogberg shot/pass from the left point that O'Reilly perfectly placed upstairs for a stunning 3-1 advantage for the Phantoms.
Valterri Puustinen struck on a net-front scramble over a sprawled Metcalf with under four minutes remaining to pull the Penguins to within a goal again at 3-2.
With the goalie pulled, Adam Clendening looked to clear the puck down ice but his carom off the penalty-box side nudged the puck onto its edge to then roll all the way down and perfectly into the empty-net for a 4-2 lead.
Alex Nylander scored his first goal as a Penguin with just 6.5 seconds left but Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was not able to threaten in the closing seconds for the equalizer.
Wade Allison played in his first game in almost a month since sustaining an elbow injury on December 17 at Utica. It was Allison's fourth game of the season. Newcomer Alex Kile made his Phantoms debut since joining the team from the Maine Mariners on an AHL contract. Felix Sandstrom dressed as the backup goalie while Pat Nagle was unavailable due to AHL COVID-19 protocols.
Lehigh Valley has not lost in regulation since December 3. The Phantoms have also had some postponed games in the midst of their record nine-game point streak.
The Phantoms improved to 2-2-1 against the Penguins this season. The two teams will rematch on Saturday night at PPL Center.
The Phantoms return to PPL Center for a weekend homestand on Saturday, January 15 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Sunday, January 16 against the Toronto Marlies.
Saturday is United Way Night presented by Air Products. Fans are encouraged to bring boxed pasta donations for a chance to win big prizes such as a game worn Phantoms jersey.
Sunday is Youth Jersey Day for the first 1,000 kids age 14 and younger presented by Service Electric and Velaspan.
Scoring Summary:
1st 3:16 - WBS, F. Robert (7) (T. Fedun) 0-1
1st 14:10 - LV, L. Sandin (2) (C. O'Reilly, A. Clendening) (PP) 1-1
3rd 2:14 - LV, L. Sandin (3) (Unassisted) 2-1
3rd 8:53 - LV, C. O'Reilly (5) (L. Hogberg, A. Clendening) 3-1
3rd 16:12 - WBS, V. Puustinen (10) (S. Houde, F. Robert) 3-2
3rd 17:34 - LV, A. Clendening (5) (C. O'Reilly) (EN) 4-2
3rd 19:53 - WBS, A. Nylander (9) (S. Poulin, F. Robert) 4-3
Shots:
LV 16 - WBS 42
PP:
LV 1/3, WBS 0/2
Goalies:
LV - Garrett Metcalf (2-0-0) (39/42)
WBS - A. D'Orio (0-4-0) (12/15)
Records:
Lehigh Valley (10-14-4)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (9-15-4)
Images from this story
 Lehigh Valley Phantoms goaltender Garrett Metcalf |
 Lehigh Valley Phantoms goaltender Garrett Metcalf |
American Hockey League Stories from January 14, 2022
- Griffins Extend Home Point Streak to Seven Games - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Monsters Suffer Setback in 5-2 Loss to IceHogs - Cleveland Monsters
- Moose Earn Point in OT Loss at Grand Rapids - Manitoba Moose
- Sandin 2 Goals, Metcalf 39 Saves, Point Streak at 9 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Swaney's Shorthanded Tally Lifts Iowa to 4-3 Victory over Chicago - Iowa Wild
- Despite Barrage of Shots, Penguins Foiled by Phantoms, 4-3 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Swayman Returns, P-Bruins Score Five Goals to Take Down Hartford Wolf Pack, 5-1 - Providence Bruins
- T-Birds Secure Point But Drop OT Heartbreaker - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Comets Defeat Crunch in Overtime, 4-3 - Utica Comets
- Crunch Fall to Comets, 4-3, in Overtime - Syracuse Crunch
- Wolves Rally, But Iowa Answers - Chicago Wolves
- Wolf Pack Fall 5-1 to Bruins in Providence - Hartford Wolf Pack
- T-Birds Announce Roster Moves - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Panthers Assign Owen Tippett and Aleksi Heponiemi to Charlotte - Charlotte Checkers
- Forward Lukas Reichel Becomes 105th IceHogs Alum to Skate with Blackhawks; Fifth to Make NHL Debut this Season - Rockford IceHogs
- Rangers Assign Three to Wolf Pack, Fortunato Released from PTO - Hartford Wolf Pack
- IceHogs Defenseman Jakub Galvas Becomes 104th Alum To Skate With Blackhawks - Rockford IceHogs
- Series Preview vs. Ontario: January 14 & 15 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Roadrunners Acquire Stephen Harper - Tucson Roadrunners
- Flyers vs. Rangers Rookie Series Coming to PPL Center - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Kile Added, Zamula and Millman Return - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Kyle Criscuolo Returns to Grand Rapids - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Anaheim Ducks Announce Roster Moves - San Diego Gulls
- Blues Recall Joshua, Toropchenko - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Wolf Pack Open Weekend with Trip to Providence to Battle Bruins - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Blackhawks Send Slavin, Mitchell and Beaudin to IceHogs; McKay Heads to Indy and Lee Released - Rockford IceHogs
- Bears Sign Forward Derek Gentile - Hershey Bears
- Comets Sign Goaltender Kasel to Professional Tryout Contract - Utica Comets
- Penguins Sign Pascal Laberge to PTO - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Game #27: Tucson at San Jose - Tucson Roadrunners
- IceHogs Look to Continue High-Scoring Attack & Open Six-Game Homestand Tonight on $2 Bud Light Friday vs. Monsters - Rockford IceHogs
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
