SWEEP! Gaucher’s OT Heroics Lifts Phantoms to Round 2

Incredible Comeback Sparks Welcome Playoff Return to Lehigh Valley

April 26, 2024

Allentown, PA – The Valley was Rallied to the fullest on Friday night with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms storming back to eliminate the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in overtime 5-4. Jacob Gaucher provided the heroic touch only 2:17 into sudden-death overtime to claim the series. Tanner Laczynski scored two clutch tying goals in the third period to erase multiple deficits and ultimately force overtime. Emil Andrae started the third-period charge with a huge 5-on-3 power-play goal to pull the Phantoms to within one.

The wait finally ended! Playoff hockey returned to PPL Center for the first time in six years and in poetic fashion. Fans came armed with rally towels on an Orange Out Night. The atmosphere was electric. And so was the game in which the Phantoms rallied from behind with tying goals three different times before pushing through with the incredible overtime win. All credit to the Phantoms power play as well which racked up three man-advantage markers in the comeback effort.

Lehigh Valley advanced to the Atlantic Division Semifinals courtesy of a 2-0 series sweep. Next up are the defending Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears in a Best-of-5 series in Round 2 beginning on Wednesday, May 1 in Chocolatetown.

Rally the Valley returns to PPL Center for Games 3 and 4 of the rivalry showdown series on Wednesday, May 8 and Sunday, May 11.

But before the celebration party on Seventh and Hamilton started, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton provided a rude welcoming for the fans dressed in orange and it wasn’t looking great for the home team. Valtteri Puustinen opened the scoring only 2:17 into the game to put Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in front 1-0. Puustinen won a board battle and raced to the net to redirected a shot from Jack Rathbone that found daylight past Cal Petersen.

Down 1-0 into the middle frame, Ronnie Attard put the Phantoms on the board with the tean’s first of three strikes on the man-advantage. Attard and Mete traded sauce at the point before Attard wired home his first career AHL playoff goal at 9:19. But the pesky Pens answered twice before the second intermission to claim a 3-1 lead. Radim Zohorna scored on the power play under Petersen’s sprawled out left pad at 14:06, and Rathbone blasted home a try from the high slot at 17:58.

But the tremendous character and will the Phantoms have shown in games all season long would soon re-emerge in a pivotal moment….