December 20, 2024
Allentown, PA – OLLE, OLLE, OLLE! A natural hat trick for Olle Lycksell, accompanied by goals from Rodrigo Abols, Alexis Gendron, Jacob Gaucher and Zayde Wisdom helped guide the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to a 7-2 blowout victory over the Toronto Marlies on Friday night at PPL Center. The seven spot on the scoreboard marked a new high-water mark for most goals in a single game this season, and most goals in a game since an 8-2 win at Belleville on November 18, 2023.
Gaucher finished the night with a career-best four-point performance (1g, 3a), and Gendron also put forth a career-best three-point night (1g, 2a).
Fans braved the snowy conditions to pack the arena, and kids in attendance received a meLVin Youth Winter Knit cap presented by Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital. The Phantoms also donned their speciality whiteout jerseys for the first time this season which will again make an appearance on December 31.
After a scoreless first period, the second frame would contrast to its fullest.
The flood gates opened in a hurry courtesy of Rodrigo Abols starting the goal-scoring parade only 43 seconds into the period. On a transition into the offensive zone, Abols cut to the slot and fired home his sixth goal of the season along the blocker-side of Toronto netminder Artur Akhtyamov.
Lehigh Valley doubled its lead with a power-play strike from Alexis Gendron at the 6:04 mark of the period. On the man advantage, Samu Tuomaala carried the puck and crept near the goal line to create a perfect path for Gendron. From the edge of the left face-off circle, Gendron had the real estate to rip home a perfect shot for the power-play snipe.
Only 36 seconds later, the Phantoms extended their lead to 3-0 on Jacob Gaucher’s 13th goal of the campaign. Zayde Wisdom’s initial shot was blocked near the net, but Gaucher was Jacob-on-the-spot and chipped in the second chance from the side of the goal.
The Marlies momentarily eased the bleeding with a strike on a man advantage at 10:56. Nick Abruzzese buried a pass from Alex Steeves to catch Cal Petersen moving from post-to-post.
But it soon became Olle Lycksell’s world later in the second period. Immediately following an offensive-zone face-off win by Gaucher, Lycksell gripped and ripped home a dart from the top of the left circle at 13:01.
Lycksell closed the second stanza in style with a power-play goal in the final minute to complete a five-goal period. The Oskarshamm, Sweden native overlapped Gaucher along the right wing and crept to the backdoor to field an opposite-wing pass from Tuomaala. The puck banked perfectly off Lycksell’s skate blade and into the cage with 43 seconds left before intermission. The scoring outburst marked the 14th time in franchise history five goals were scored in a single period, and first time since April 26, 2021 against the Binghamton Devils.
Then with 64 seconds gone by in the third period, Lycksell completed a natural hat trick to make it rain meLVin knit caps onto the PPL Center ice. Circling the net like a shark with the puck on a string, Lycksell fired home his third goal of the night for a natural hat-trick, his ninth goal of the season, and second hat trick of Lycksell’s professional career.
Wisdom delivered the successful point after touchdown with 8:10 remaining to open a 7-1 margin. Gaucher forced a steal, Lycksell took an initial shot, and Wisdom deposited the rebound for his third goal of the season. Lehigh Valley’s seven goals marked its most at home since a 10-6 thumping over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 7, 2024.
Roni Hirvonen provided a footnote strike for the Marlies with one minute remaining to complete the 7-2 scoring line.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms will roll into Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday, December 21 for their final game before Holiday Break. The Phantoms and Baby Pens will dance at 6:05 p.m. from Mohegan Sun Arena and will rematch the Penguins in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on December 27 before turning home on December 28 versus Charlotte. Postgame Photographs with the Phantoms players presented by NJM Insurance will take place following the game on Saturday, December 28.
SCORING SUMMARY
2nd 0:43 – LV, R. Abols (6) (A. Gendron, C. Petersen) (1-0)
2nd 6:04 – LV, A. Gendron (7) (S. Tuomaala, H. Grans) (PP) (2-0)
2nd 6:40 – LV, J. Gaucher (13) (Z. Wisdom, H. McDonald) (3-0)
2nd 10:56 – TOR, N. Abruzzese (8) (A. Steeves, J. Blandisi) (PP) (3-1)
2nd 13:01 – LV, O. Lycksell (7) (J. Gaucher) (4-1)
2nd 19:17 – LV, O. Lycksell (8) (S. Tuomaala, A. Gendron) (PP) (5-1)
3rd 1:04 – LV, O. Lycksell (9) (J. Gaucher) (6-1)
3rd 11:50 – LV, Z. Wisdom (3) (O. Lycksell, J. Gaucher) (7-1)
3rd 19:00 – TOR, R. Hirvonen (5) (J. Quillan, M. Barbolini) (7-2)
Shots:
LV 34 – TOR 29
PP:
LV 2/5, TOR 1/3
Goaltenders:
LV – C. Petersen (W) (7-8-2) (27/29)
TOR – A. Akhtyamov (L) (8-2-1) (20/25)
TOR – P. Vyacheslav (ND) (7/9)
Records:
Lehigh Valley (12-10-5)
Toronto (14-5-5)
UPCOMING
Saturday, December 21 (6:05) – Phantoms at W-B/Scranton Penguins
Friday, December 27 (7:05) – Phantoms at W-B/Scranton Penguins
Saturday, December 28 (7:05) – Charlotte Checkers at Phantoms – Postgame Photographs with the Phantoms players presented by NJM Insurance
Tuesday, December 31 (7:05) – Charlotte Checkers at Phantoms – Light-up glow sticks from Penn Community Bank. World’s Largest Puck-Drop at Midnight!
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