AHL Goalie Makes 94 Saves In Five-Overtime Win

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers) and the Charlotte Checkers (Hurricanes) played the longest game in AHL history Wednesday night, with the Phantoms winning 2-1 in the fifth overtime. The game took 146:48 minutes of game time in total.

Alex Krushelnyski scored the winner, but even if that goal brought indescribable relief to his exhausted team, he is not the first star of this game. That honor, very clearly, goes to Phantom goalie Alex Lyon, who made 94 saves on 95 shots. (The Phantoms themselves only managed 53 shots on goal.)

Hilariously, even though Lyon’s performance would be both an NHL and NCAA record, it’s not a record for his own league. In another five-OT win for the Phantoms back in 2008, opposing Albany River Rats goalie Michael Leighton stopped 98 of 101 shots. Lyon will have to settle for a franchise best.

The Phantoms and Checkers, who are in the middle of a playoff series that the Phantoms lead 3-1, also played Game 3 of their series on Tuesday. Thankfully, they won’t meet again until Saturday.