Game Recaps
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An early Phantoms power play would come when Beuk Forrest would be a naughty rascal and go off for a trip. No matter though, because Dan Volonnino would hold it down between the pipes and ensure that the Swarm would still be level when Forrest returned to action. After even strength would resume, Chris Fagan would join Forrest on the naughty list with a trip of his own for a Swarm power play, but the difference would be that the Swarm would cash in, with Skyler "H To The" Izzo from Forrest, who atoned for his penalty. The Swarm would go into the second period with a 1-0 lead, but would trail on shots at 8-6. Dan Volonnino would continue to shine when he would backbone another Swarm kill (after Nick Volonnino's slash), and rack up more saves. On the other end, Tony Bucci would continue his stellar play and keep the Phantoms down one, and he would be rewarded when Christian Hoppeler would finally get the first puck past Volonnino, with a wrist shot from close range. Now 1-1, it would not last for long because Jimmy "The Burner" Byrnes would light the lamp from Steve Norman after Norman executed a swashbuckling run through the neutral zone, which would free up space for Byrnes, to whom he would play the puck. At 2-1, Swarm, they would hold that lead going into the third period, but would now be behind 22-15 on shots. Volonnino and Bucci would putting on an advertisement for the league, and no better time to do that than with the nationally televised Game of the Week, broadcasted by Telemundo. But even with that, the alternating scoring would continue when Captain Patrick Stehn, from Ed Stulak, would bring it to 3-2 Swarm. The Phantoms would reply with a Christian Hoppeler goal from Fagan for Hoppeler's hat trick goal, but more importantly the goal to square things at 3-3, after Fagan would fire on target, which would produce a rebound that would go right to Hoppeler, who would slam home. Now with the clock a factor, either team could take it in regulation, but the Phantoms' hopes for that would severely dwindle when Alex Russell's high sticking minor would put the Swarm on a power play, which would, if they didn't convert in regulation, would stretch into overtime. The Swarm would go to work on a power play which could net them all three points, but Bucci wouldn't yet thus far. The puck would eventually come out to the neutral zone, where the Swarm would attempt to perform a cross ice pass, but that would be intercepted by Richie Modzelewski, who would take it down the left wing and fire a laser into the top corner, for a short handed goal and 4-3. Now ahead with only 18 seconds left, the Phantoms would have to see it out, and would do so, while adding a fifth with Hoppeler's fourth goal, the rare empty net short hander, for a 5-3 win. The Stateside Tap + Tavern Man of the Match Award was won by Christian Hoppeler (4G).
Date: September 22, 2021
Time: 10:45pm
Venue: Protec Ponds Ice Center
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