The longest game in American Hockey League history began on a Wednesday night and ended six hours later on a Thursday morning.
In the end, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (a Flyers affiliate) edged the Charlotte Checkers (a Hurricanes affiliate) 2-1 in five overtimes at Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C. Alex Krushelnyski scored the winner in the 147th minute (6:48 into the fifth extra session, to be exact).
Krush.
— LehighValleyPhantoms (@LVPhantoms) May 10, 2018
5 OT.
Need we really say anything else? pic.twitter.com/97OrsUHd58
The game's first star was Phantoms goalie Alex Lyon, who made 94 saves, four off the AHL record set 10 years ago by Michael Leighton. Leighton played in the previous longest game, but he lost (the Phantoms won that game, too). The 25-year-old Lyon — who signed with the Flyers in 2016 after a stellar career at Yale — allowed a goal in the second period and nothing after that.
The #LVPhantoms and @CheckersHockey have now set the record for the longest game in @TheAHL history. pic.twitter.com/JOmpJNnWmN
— LehighValleyPhantoms (@LVPhantoms) May 10, 2018
Lyon stopped 54 shots after regulation; Checkers goalie Alex Nedeljkovic made 51 saves total for the game.
Alex Lyon @LVPhantoms stopped the last 79 shots he faced tonight, shutting out Charlotte over the final 119:56 of the game#LVvsCHA
— AHL Communications (@AHLPR) May 10, 2018
PHOTOS: The 10 longest OT games in Stanley Cup playoff history
Checkers captain Patrick Brown told the team's website that he and his teammates got creative as they fought fatigue.
"Guys were laughing on the bench, keeping it light, trying to keep talking, singing, dancing — whatever you could do to stay focused. Having the time of your life," he was quoted as saying.
Reports from the arena said about 300 spectators, from an announced crowd of 5,385, stayed until the end.
I’m at the longest game in AHL history. Phantoms goalie Alex Lyon has made 92 saves and counting. Roughly 300 people remain in the stands. This is not normal. pic.twitter.com/76WAxnZM5F
— Brandon Schlager (@bgschlager) May 10, 2018
The win gives the Phantoms a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven second-round Calder Cup playoff series. The good news for the teams is that Game 5 isn't until Saturday at Charlotte.