By Torey “NittanyPete” Petruno (InstaGram)
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Jacob Gaucher scored twice for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but Hartford rallied for a 5-2 win in Saturday’s season opener at PPL Center.
Gaucher put the Phantoms up 1-0 at 5:32 of the first, cashing in a rebound on the power play. That man advantage came courtesy of a roughing penalty on Anton Blidh. Taylor Raddysh tied it at 11:34 after a failed Phantoms clear gave Cole Beaudoin the puck.
Justin Nachbaur and Noah Powell fought after the goal, with Nachbaur getting the better of it. Both drew game misconducts for dropping the gloves at the next faceoff.
Gaucher restored the lead at 1:39 of the second, scoring from a sharp angle on a feed from rookie defenseman Spencer Gill. Penalties to Jack Studnicka (holding the stick) and Oliver Bonk (cross-checking) then gave Hartford a long power play. Juuso Pärssinen tied it 2-2 at 10:05 with a one-timer from the right circle.
Hartford took over in the third. Lucas Vanroboys put the Wolf Pack ahead at 5:03 after another Lehigh Valley misplay. Beaudoin made it 4-2 just over three minutes later, stealing the puck off Zayde Wisdom at the Hartford blue line and scoring his first pro goal. Vincent Iorio sealed it with an empty-netter at 18:07.
Beaudoin finished with a goal and two assists in his pro debut. Gabriel Carriere stopped 27 of 29 shots for Hartford, and Aleksei Kolosov made 21 saves on 25 for Lehigh Valley. The Phantoms were 1-for-3 on the power play, and Hartford was 1-for-2.
The Phantoms host Cleveland next Saturday.
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