March 12, 2024
Allentown, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (25-23-7) won back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Bridgeport to begin a five-game road swing and move into the last playoff position in the Atlantic Division.
The Phantoms are tied in total points with the Springfield Thunderbirds but also have two games in hand remaining on the schedule and also have a higher points percentage entering the final 17 games of the regular season.
The roadie continues this Wednesday with a rematch at Wilkes-Barre followed by a pair of games at the Providence Bruins this weekend.
LAST WEEK
March 8 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3 – Phantoms 2
March 9 – Phantoms 4 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2
March 10 – Phantoms 4 – Bridgeport Islanders 3
THIS WEEK
Wednesday, March 13 (7:05) – Phantoms at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Friday, March 15 (7:05) – Phantoms at Providence Bruins
Saturday, March 16 (7:05) – Phantoms at Providence Bruins
WEEKLY RECAP
Friday, March 8, 2024
Penguins 3 – Phantoms 2
Rhett Gardner scored a pair of goals to give the Phantoms a 2-1 lead in the second period but the visiting Penguins rallied for two goals in the third to stun Lehigh Valley with a 3-2 decision. Corey Andonovski scored the game-winner with just 2:08 left on a deflection in the slot. Gardner picked up his second-career multi-goal game as he reached the 100-point milestone in his AHL career.
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Phantoms 4 – Penguins 2
Lehigh Valley found its offense with a four-goal outburst in the third period to rally from behind and post a 4-2 win at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the head-to-head rematch on Saturday night. Samu Tuomaala (14th) opened the scoring surge with his equalizing goal in the third period at 1-1. The Phantoms were on a 5-minute penalty kill in a tie game when Brendan Furry streaked past the Baby Pens defense for a shorthanded breakaway goal to give Lehigh Valley the lead. Adam Brooks and Evan Polei’s first as a Phantom rounded out the scoring in the exciting win.
Sunday, March 10, 2024
Phantoms 4 – Islanders 3
Rhett Gardner scored two more goals and Adam Karashik struck for his first-career AHL goal as the Phantoms prevailed at the Bridgeport Islanders on Sunday afternoon in the weekend finale. Louie Belpedio called bank off the back of an Islanders defender for a clutch goal and Cal Petersen slammed the door on Bridgeport’s comeback efforts in the third period with several clutch denials as the Phantoms slammed the door on the Islanders’ four-game win streak. Gardner’s second multi-goal game of the weekend gives him 10 goals on the season equaling a career-high that he set last year with the Texas Stars.
TRANSACTIONS
– Forward Olle Lycksell has been returned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms from Philadelphia. Lycksell leads the Phantoms with 18 goals.
– Forward Wade Allison has been traded by the Philadelphia Flyers to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Denis Gurianov.
– Defenseman Adam Ginning has been recalled to the Philadelphia Flyers after a quick one-game return to the Phantoms last weekend.
– Three additional players were briefly loaned to the Phantoms for only a few minutes at the trade deadline last Friday at 3:00 p.m. That ensures AHL eligibility for those players moving forward. Ronnie Attard, Bobby Brink and Felix Sandstrom are all currently on the Philadelphia Flyers. They each received such “paper transactions” allowing them the opportunity to play for the Phantoms later this season or in the playoffs.
SUSPENDED
Phantoms captain Garrett Wilson has been suspended for three games by the American Hockey League as the result of a checking to the head penalty in Saturday’s game at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Wilson sat out Sunday’s game at Bridgeport and will also be unavailable this Wednesday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Friday at Providence. Wilson is eligible to return to the lineup on Saturday at the Providence Bruins which is also his 33rd birthday.
COMEBACK KIDS
Never count out the Phantoms! Lehigh Valley has rallied for victory seven times when trailing after two periods which is the most comeback wins in the AHL ahead of Grand Rapids, Henderson and Manitoba who have six late comeback triumphs. Three of Lehigh Valley’s rallies have been on the road at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton where the Phantoms have gone 3-0-0 despite trailing at the second intermission on each visit.
EXTRA HOCKEY!
The Phantoms have won five straight games that have been tied after regulation including two overtime wins and three shootout wins. Lehigh Valley is 7-1 in calendar year 2024 in overtimes and shootouts combined.
20-year-old rookie J-R Avon is tied for the AHL lead with five shootout goals on just six attempts this season. Trey Fix-Wolansky of Cleveland is the only other player with five.
The Phantoms are tied for the league lead with four shootout wins. The Cleveland Monsters and Abborstford Canucks also have four. Lehigh Valley is also second in the league with nine total shootout goals trailing only Cleveland who has 11.
The Phantoms have gone to overtime or shootout in 17 games this year which is third-most in the AHL behind Rochester (19) and Cleveland (18). The Phantoms are 6-5 in overtimes and 4-2 in shootouts for a combined mark of 10-7 after regulation.
PHANTASTIC!
The Phantoms record when:
– Score 4 or more goals: 17-0-2
– Allow 3 or fewer goals: 18-5-3
– Lead After 1st period: 7-1-2
– Lead After 2nd period: 13-2-1
– One-Goal Games: 18-6-7
– Overtime: 6-5 / Shootout: 4-2