Chirps from Center Ice

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4                                        5

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Man, they had them where they wanted them tonight.

Up two, Lehigh Valley rattles off two to tie to get to overtime and win in a shootout on Tyson Foerster’s two goals and shootout winner. Phantoms win 5-4 in the shootout.win 5-4 in the shootout.

Alex D’Orio continues to improve, one game seemingly better than the next. He had some really great saves tonight and stood down the barrel of the loaded Phantoms offense. Hard luck losses tonight will turn to wins.

But this is what Lehigh Valley does. If they don’t blow you out, they scrap with you and get you into the pit of overtime where they usually win. If not, they have way too many offensive threats in the arsenal where they can beat you in the shootout. I thought they stole the win tonight with the way that the Penguins played tonight from D’Orio forward.

D’Orio opposed Zane McIntyre.

Here’s how they lined up:

Lineup Notes: Radim Zohorna was sent back from Pittsburgh’s taxi squad earlier in the day, lines got shuffled and he replaced Nick Schilkey. Tommy Nappier from THEE Ohio State University backed up Alex D’Orio.

First Period: Highly competitive period.

Cal O’Reilly has his shot blocked, collects it out of the skates of the player who blocked the shot and scores to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead early on.

No puck luck for the Pens, really.

Off a face off, the Penguins score with Felix Robert.

Drew O’Connor got one to go on the power play. Get the power play going and good things happen.

The Penguins were outshooting the Phantoms at a four to one clip to this point.

But the Phantoms are ultra talented, and came right back.

Tyson Foerster scored a goal the same way that Cal O’Reilly scored.

Alex D’Orio had a ten bell save on a Phantoms power play.

Pierre Olivier-Joseph scored on this dart that gave the Pens a goal heading into the second.

Nifty goal. Not a seeing eye, lucky shot, but a really highly skilled shot for a goal.

Second Period: Jan Drozg capitalizes on a Phantoms turnover and scores to make it a 4-2 Penguins lead.

Phantoms continued to press and you wanted to see the Pens carry a two goal lead into the third, but Wade Allison had other ideas.

Second period didn’t have any penalties.

Third Period: It was becoming the Alex D’Orio show, with more saves like this one.

Penguins were keeping it tight with the Phantoms and killed an early penalty (the only one in the period) and time was dwindling on the Phantoms. They pulled Zane McIntyre and found the goal they were looking for.

So it was off to…

Overtime: Familiar territory for both teams. 50/50 for both teams.

Shootout: 

No other way to put it. The Phantoms just steal points and when given the opportunity, wins.

Three Stars: 3) Zane McIntrye (32 saves) 2) Cal O’Reilly (goal, assist) 1) Tyson Foerster (two goals)

The Good: Taylor picked this thought of mine while I was watching the game and tweeted it and included video.

D’Orio had the look tonight, and hard luck losses like tonight will turn into wins eventually.

The Bad: You had the Phantoms down two and couldn’t close.

Turning Point: There were a lot of them, but in a game which was tight, the Foerster shootout goal in the top of the first gets the nod here.

Back in action next Saturday.

Let’s Go Pens!

Stay safe.