ALLENTOWN— Last night the Flyers bartered the Phantoms’ Scott Laughton for 27 year old Blair Jones.
Maybe they should have kept him.
On loan from the Flyers, Jones had an assist and the game-winning shootout goal in his Lehigh Valley debut to lock in the Phantoms 3-2 win over divisional rival, the Hershey Bears.
- After taking a 2-0 lead six minutes into the first period, the Phantoms (7-6-1) allowed two unanswered goals by their divisional rival (8-6-2), sending the exhausting game into an even more exhausting 4v4/3v3/shootout overtime period./
22 Stanislav Galiev X |||| 10 Andrew Gordon X
17 Chandler Stephenson X |||| 22 Blair Jones O
Dustin Gazley X |||| ———
- In his first four minutes as a Phantoms starter, Jones marked his first point since Nov. 22, 2013 with a laser pass to Andrew Gordon who nets the first of three goals for the Phantoms Wednesday. Jones had not practiced with the Phantoms prior to Wednesday’s game, but obviously blended well with Phantoms wingers. Jones would later have the game-winning shootout goal for Lehigh Valley. No word on whether Jones will stay in Allentown— but after tonight’s performance, the veteran is having more fun in Allentown than sitting on the bench in Philly.
- Jones was on the top line for the Phantoms, flanked by Taylor Leier and Nick Cousins, two productive wingers usually paired with Laughton on the first or second line.
- Brandon Manning added to the Phantoms’ already-dominant offensive performance in the first period with a wrister off Grubauer’s right shoulder. Manning has had a goal in three straight games, beating the previous team high set by Laughton, who had two goals goals in back-to-back games.
- After sending 20 shots to the net in the first period, the Phantoms were outshot by Hershey 11-5 in the second and 9-7 in the third, but limited the Bears to just one shot in overtime which came from a fast breakaway from Joel Broda off the draw.
- The Phantoms’ penalty kill was in good hands thanks to Lehigh Valley’s most consistent player, Rob Zepp. Zepp saved 27-of-29 and denied three shootout attempts. He is now 7-3-1 this season.
- With three games in four days Terry Murray confirmed that Anthony Stolarz will start in at least one game this weekend.
- Hershey’s Kris Newbury netted his 10th goal of the year on a wrister past Zepp’s right shoulder, evening the score at two early in the third period. His goal three minutes into the third period would be the deciding factor in extra time.
- Brett Hextall returned to the lineup Wednesday after missing 10 games with the Phantoms due to an upper body injury, sustained on Oct. 18 at Adirondack. /
