In the season finale between the two squads, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms took down the Hartford Wolf Pack by a final score of 4-1 in Allentown last night. Hartford had led the season series posting a 4-0-1 record across the first five meetings, out-scoring Lehigh Valley 26-13 during that stretch. Two games had ended in a 5-4 score after overtime with one contest going to each of the two teams. The other three were dominated by the Wolf Pack with the closest game being a 4-1 score in the second meeting of the season.
It was the Phantoms that struck first in last night’s action with two first-period goals from leading goal scorer, forward Olle Lycksell who potted his 13th and 14th goal of the season late in the first period. The score would remain 2-0 to close out the first before Hartford cut the lead in half with a goal from Brandon Scanlin early in the second period.
Lehigh Valley cushioned the lead with Jacob Gaucher pouncing on a loose rebound in front of Dylan Garand who entered the game in relief of Louis Domingue. Domingue was ejected from the game late in the third period after a collision and subsequent scuffle with Phantoms captain Garrett Wilson who was given the boot as well.
It would be Wilson and Lehigh Valley who would get the last laugh with a strange late goal from Victor Mete to make the game 4-1 and put it out of reach. Mete’s first goal of the season came in strange fashion after his shot from the point originally missed the net before bouncing back to the goal line, off the skate of Garand, and into the back of the net.
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The Phantoms now sit in seventh place in the Atlantic division but are only two and a half games out of the third-place spot. Meanwhile, the Wolf Pack is tied for third with Wilkes-Barre Scranton while having more games remaining on their schedule to the Penguins.
Both sides will continue their weekend action on Saturday with Lehigh Valley hosting the red-hot first-place Hershey Bears while Hartford returns home to host the Providence Bruins.