The Freedom and Liberty Ice Hockey Clubs have collaborated to create Bethlehem Ice Hockey, and the varsity team, currently preparing for a playoff push, won big on Friday night with a 14-4 victory over Phillipsburg in the Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey League at The Rink in Whitehall.

Phillipsburg led just once after Shane Redden scored the game’s first goal.

Stephen Callaghan (Freedom) scored for Bethlehem four minutes later, and Richard Giering (Liberty) followed up with a goal on a power play.

With the game tied at 3-3, Ryan Hathaway (Freedom) put Bethlehem ahead in the final minute of the first period.

Matt Fanning (Moravian Academy) was the lone scorer for either team in the second period with two goals.

Bethlehem scored four straight goals early in the third period, all within less than two minutes.

Fanning achieved a hat trick when he scored Bethlehem’s last goal of the night with one minute remaining on the clock.

Also scoring for Bethlehem were Chris Fanning (Moravian Academy), Brady Roche (Freedom), Stephen Garguilo (Freedom), and Nolan Schleppy (Freedom).

Assists were made by Callaghan, Chris Fanning, Nick Moniz (Freedom), Hathaway, Landon McRae (Freedom), Matt Fanning, Giering, and Justin Gichiengo (Liberty).

Aidan Swenor (Freedom) made 11 saves for Bethlehem.

Coached by John Snyder and assistants Paul Fischer and Shane Watson, along with team manager E.J. Powers, Bethlehem’s record is 8-3-1 as of Jan. 23.

Other teams in the league are Central, Emmaus, Nazareth, Northampton Black, Northampton Orange, Parkland, and Southern Lehigh.

Bethlehem’s next game will be a rematch with Phillipsburg, scheduled for Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at Bethlehem Municipal Rink.