GAME 5: PHANTOMS @ CHARLOTTE
Coming off a 2-1 win in the longest game played in American Hockey League history, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms have an opportunity to close out their Atlantic Division Final series against the Charlotte Checkers if they win Game 5 at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte. Game time is 7:05 p.m. EDT.
Alex Lyon, who stopped 94 of 95 shots in the quintuple-overtime marathon in Game 4, enters this match with a 5-1-0 record, 1.56 goals against average and .958 save percentage in his first six playoff outings. Four of his victories have come in games where the Phantoms were outplayed for lengthy stretches and had to lean very heavily on the goaltender. In Game 4, the Phantoms were outshot in every period (including 12-1 in the third OT) except the fifth OT in which the even-up sixth Phantoms shot was Alex Krushelnyski's game-winning goal.
Already playing without top defenseman Travis Sanheim (left knee injury), the Phantoms lost Samuel Morin (right knee injury) in the first period of Game 4. Rookie defenseman Philippe Myers logged 66 minutes of ice time in Game 4. For Game 5, head coach Scott Gordon's options to replace Morin are rookie James de Haas or veteran Will O'Neill.
Earlier in the week, Gordon reported that there was a chance AHL MVP winner Phil Varone might be ready to return to the Phantoms lineup for Game 5. Varone he did not make the trip to Charlotte with the team, but received treatment during the week and started gearing up for a potential return in the latter part of the series.
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QUICK HITS
1) OHL Finals: The Hamilton Bulldogs earned a 6-4 road win on Friday night to take a three games to two lead over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the Ontario Hockey League finals. The Greyhounds continued their pattern of lacking urgency in the game following a playoff win. After outplaying the Soo in the first period to take a 1-0 lead to intermission, the Bulldogs exploded for three goals in the second period with St. Louis Blues prospect Robert Thomas leading the way. For the second straight game, neither Morgan Frost (SSM) nor Matthew Strome (Hamilton) recorded a point. Frost finished the night at minus-three with one shot on goal and 13-for-21 on faceoffs. The Bulldogs can win the OHL championship on home ice on Sunday afternoon. If the Greyhounds win, Game 7 will be in Sault Ste. Marie on Monday.
2) QMJHL Finals: The Acadie-Bathurst Titan moved to within one victory of the QMJHL championship with a 5-3 road win on Friday night. The Titan lead the series, three games to two. German Rubtsov did not record a point, and was minus-two with one shot on goal. The Titan can win the championship on Sunday with a home-ice victory in Game 6. If not, Game 7 will be in Boisbriand on Tuesday.
3) WHL Finals: The Everett Silvertips stayed alive in the Western Hockey League finals with a 6-3 home win over the Swift Current Broncos on Friday night. Carter Hart stopped 21 of 24 shots to earn the win in Game 5. Everett, which has trouble protecting leads in the series, got off to a 2-0 lead in the first period before the Broncos struck back for the next two goals. The Silvertips took a 4-2 lead in the second period but Swift Current cut the gap to a single goal. Everett finally pulled away with a pair of empty net goals late in the third period. Hart made nine saves in the third period to close out the game. The remainder of the series (played in a 2-3-2 format) shifts back to Swift Current. Game 6 is on Sunday. If necessary, Game 7 will be on Monday.
4) IIHF World Championships: Austria remained winless at the IIHF World Championships in Denmark with a 5-2 loss to France on Friday. Michael Raffl scored a goal in a losing cause. On Saturday, Austria plays the also-winless Team Belarus (Maksim Sushko).
5) IIHF World Championships: Team Czech Republic (4-1-0, three OT/SO wins) earned a 3-0 win over Belarus on Friday. Through four games, Radko Gudas has one assist, 4 PIM, and a plus-two rating. The Czechs play France on Saturday.