Woeful Second Period Pushes Bruins over Phantoms

Allentown, Pa. -- Ryan Spooner's second period goal just eight ticks into the second period set the tone for what was a long night for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on their home ice Friday night.

It proved to be one of many defensive lapses that led to a 5-1 defeat to the hands of the Providence Bruins. The Bruins struck four times in the middle frame, forcing an early exit for starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz.

Perhaps the only good news was the game was scoreless after the first period. Then, a sudden rash of penalties and defensive breakdowns allowed Providence to take control of the game, and slam the door shut at their end of the ice.

"They just made us pay for our mistakes," forward Petr Straka said. "We weren't sharp passing the puck. We weren't sharp receiving the puck. With that, you can't possibly get anything going, and they just took advantage of it."

Straka's late third-period tally while down five goals proved to be a fleeting celebration in the midst of a flat effort. This game had playoff implications all the way, with the Bruins just three points ahead of the Phantoms in the AHL's Eastern Conference standings.

That deficit lengthened not only due to the loss, but because of the thorough defeat to a team the Phantoms were chasing in the playoff race.

"We're aware of the opportunity that's being missed," Phantoms coach Terry Murray said after the game. "We've gotta clean up a lot of stuff, obviously, with the mistakes we're making, the turnovers we're making. Everybody's going to need to be better."

Stolarz was pulled after allowing four goals on 26 shots in his return from the Philadelphia Flyers. His replacement, Martin Ouellette, stopped five of six shots in relief. Stolarz faced a rough stretch late in the second period, allowing two goals in the span of a minute.

Andrew Cherniwchan took advantage of a sloppy Phantoms line change, breaking away from an absent defense, snapping a shot past the outstretched blocker of Stolarz to increase the Providence advantage to 3. Then, after an Adam Comrie high-sticking penalty shortly thereafter, Spooner rocketed his second goal of the game with a one-time shot on the power play on a cross-ice dish from Seth Griffith.

Colin Stuart also added two goals in the contest, starting the tough night for the Phantoms penalty kill with a power-play goal to make it 2-0 early in the second period.

"There wasn't anything [specific] that they did," Murray added. "It was our mistakes."

Providence's Jeremy Smith flummoxed the Phantoms all night, stopping 26 shots in the victory. He also stifled two Phantoms power plays in the victory. The offense was as ice cold as the wind chills outside of the arena walls.

"I think we just needed guys to step up," forward Brett Hextall said. "I don't think we had anyone step up, outside of maybe [Brandon] Manning, trying to scrap with their tough guy over there."

"Other than that, we didn't have anybody step up, anybody try and bring the energy and change the momentum in any way. Myself included."

This defeat meant back-to-back losses for the reeling Phantoms, who still believe they have a shot at the playoffs in their inaugural season in Lehigh Valley.

The uphill climb begins with the stretch drive looming, and four of the next five games played on their home ice.