The Lehigh Valley Phantoms staved off elimination on Wednesday night with a season-saving 2-0 victory over the Hershey Bears at PPL Center.
Hershey still leads the best-of-five series, two games to one, with Game 4 set for Saturday evening in Allentown.
Cal Petersen made 22 saves for his first career playoff shutout, and Emil Andrae and Olle Lycksell provided the offense with a pair of early power-play goals. Cooper Marody assisted on both tallies.
It marked the first playoff shutout by a Phantoms goaltender in more than 16 years, since Scott Munroe blanked the Albany River Rats in Philadelphia’s Game 7 win on Apr. 29, 2008.
Hunter Shepard stopped 20 of 22 shots in the loss for the Bears, who have not scored a goal at PPL Center in their last 175 minutes and 17 seconds of play.
(Hershey leads series, 2-1)
Game 1 – Wed., May 1 – HERSHEY 2, Lehigh Valley 1
Game 2 – Sat., May 4 – HERSHEY 5, Lehigh Valley 1
Game 3 – Wed., May 8 – LEHIGH VALLEY 2, Hershey 0
Game 4 – Sat., May 11 – Hershey at Lehigh Valley, 7:05
*Game 5 – Sun., May 12 – Lehigh Valley at Hershey, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern