December 28, 2024
Allentown, PA – Brendan “Fuzz” Furry provided a packed house crowd with some warm and fuzzy feelings with his shorthanded winning goal with just 3:05 remaining as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms knocked off the Charlotte Checkers 2-1 on Saturday night at PPL Center.
The top power play in the AHL was embarking on its seventh power play of the evening with a chance to score a winner but Jacob Gaucher and Brendan Furry aggressively hustled in pursuit in the neutral zone leading to Emil Andrae’s outlet pass up the left wing to an open Furry. The second-year pro zipped past the Charlotte defender and stuffed the backhand-winning goal past the left pad of Chris Dreidger to cap a fantastic night and terrific game for the Phantoms.
Parker Gahagen racked up 29 saves backstopping his second win of the season but none of them were more impressive than his sprawling denial hustling to his right to get a knock on the backdoor opportunity of Sandis Vilmanis with 9:30 remaining in the third period off some snappy passing. Gahagen’s mind-blowing denial kept the game deadlocked at 1-1 to set the stage for the dramatic finish to come.
Phantoms Phans were sure to stick around to the finish of the tight contest but had additional incentive with the team’s appearance in our Postgame Photograph session after the game presented by NJM Insurance with Phantoms fans enjoying the opportunity to meet their favorite players in person while congratulating Brendan Furry and Parker Gahagen on their roles in the win.
Charlotte (16-8-3) opened the scoring on the first of its seven power plays on a high-slot drive to the upper-right corner by Tobias Bjornfoot (2nd) at 7:58 into the game for a 1-0 advantage.
Gahagen was lights out after that.
Lehigh Valley (13-12-5) almost equalized in the opening minutes of the second period when Emil Andrae’s shot from the high slot deflected off Dreidger and then up in the air and then off the top and front of the crossbar. The loose puck laid in the right-wing side of the crease with Jacob Gacuher trying to knock it home from inches away but Dreidger barely got his left pad to it first to kill the opportunity.
The Phantoms would successfully bury their first of the game just minutes later after the Checkers were assessed consecutive penalties. Alexis Gendron (8th) rocked home the 5-on-3 equalizer at 3:08 into the middle frame after some snappy high-low passing in the right circle between Massimo Rizzo and Oscar Eklind who received the assists on the play.
Lehigh Valley had another huge opportunity with an additional 5-on-3 less than three minutes later. And this one was for the full 120 seconds. But the Checkers killed it while the Phantoms couldn’t find their rhythm. Up by two guys wouldn’t work that time but down by one player later on would find better results when it mattered most.
Charlotte had a 5-on-3 of its own in the penalty-filled game when Lehigh Valley was tagged for consecutive penalties late in the second period. But a little less than a minute on the 5-on-3 at the end of the second period and beginning of the third period wouldn’t go for the Checekers either. Helge Grans had a pivotal clear late in the second to get the game to the next intermission still even at 1-1. Gahagen came through with several big stops at the beginning of the third to put the clamps on the carry-over portion of the 5-on-3.
Gahagen’s biggest save with 9:30 left brought the crowd’s roar to a crescendo. Then came Furry’s incredible moment with 3:05 left to pick up the surprising win while down a man. Furry’s goal was his second of the season, both shorthanded. He had just scored his first goal of the season two games prior on December 21 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. It was also Lehigh Valley’s fourth shorthanded goal this year.
Zayde Wisdom had a blocked shot during Charlotte’s late 6-on-5 and the Phantoms deflected passes and hustled to win puck battles to kill off any remaining chances.
Lehigh Valley has won three straight home games and improves to 9-4-2 at home.
The Phantoms played their league-leading 20th one-goal game of the season (tied with Hershey) in just 30 total games played. Lehigh Valley is 10-5-5 in one-goal decisions including 7-0-2 at PPL Center.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Charlotte Checkers rematch on Tuesday night at PPL Center to close out 2024 in our annual New Year’s Eve game. Fans will receive Light-Up Sticks courtesy of Penn Community Bank and then the party continues outside after the game with the countdown and World’s Largest Puck Drop to welcome in 2025.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 7:58 – CLT, T. Bjornfot (2) (B. Steeves, S. Vilmanis) (PP) (0-1)
2nd 3:08 – LV, A. Gendron (8) (O. Eklind, M. Rizzo) (PP) (5×3) (1-1)
3rd 16:55 – LV, B. Furry (2) (E. Andrae) (SH) (2-1)
Shots:
LV 24 – CLT 30
PP:
LV 1/6, CLT 1/7
Goaltenders:
LV – P. Gahagen (W) (2-1-1) (29/30)
CLT – C. Driedger (L) (7-4-1) (22/24)
Records:
Lehigh Valley (13-12-5)
Charlotte (16-8-3)
UPCOMING
Tuesday, December 31 (7:05) – Charlotte Checkers at Phantoms – Light-up glow sticks from Penn Community Bank. World’s Largest Puck-Drop at Midnight!
Friday, January 3 (7:00) – Phantoms at Utica Comets
Saturday, January 4 (7:00) – Phantoms at Syracuse Crunch
Tuesday, January 7 (7:00) – Phantoms at Hershey Bears
Friday, January 10 (7:05) – Hartford Wolf Pack at Phantoms – Blackout Knit Caps from Morning Call
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