Phantoms Power Play Presented by Provident Bank

Big OT Wins Back-to-Back, Point Streak at 7

January 4, 2022

Weekly Recap
Friday, December 31
Phantoms 6 – Utica Comets 5 (OT)
The Phantoms stunningly overcame deficits of 4-0 and 5-1 to win at the best team in the AHL in a 6-5 thriller on New Year’s Eve. Hayden Hodgson’s second goal of the game tied the score at 5-5 with just 35.1 seconds left and then Hodgson stole the puck for a Cal O’Reilly overtime winner to stun the Utica faithful. O’Reilly finished with three points against his former team where he had served as captain four years ago. It was the first overtime win of the season for the Phantoms. The game marked just the fourth time in 25 years that the Phantoms have overcome a four-goal deficit to win.

Saturday, January 1
Phantoms 2 – Bridgeport 1 (OT)
Adam Clendening struck for the overtime winner and newcomer Garrett Metcalf made 25 saves in his AHL debut as the Phantoms opened the New Year by extending their point streak to seven (6-0-1). Garrett Wilson also scored in the second period to break a 0-0 tie with his eighth of the season, second-most on the team (behind Gerry Mayhew with nine).

Upcoming
Wednesday, January 5 (7:00) – Phantoms at Hershey Bears
The Phantoms play the first of four straight on the road with a midweek make-up date at the Hershey Bears. This is the rescheduled game from the postponement at Hershey on November 29. The Phantoms are 2-1-0 against Hershey this season. Popular Phantoms alum Mike Vecchione has returned to action from injury. Hershey just added some reinforcements from the Capitals and the Washington Taxi Squad including forweard Mike Sgarbossa, defensemen Lucas Johanssen and Alex Alexyev, and goalie Pheonix Copley.

Friday, January 7 (7:05) – Phantoms at Providence Bruins
The Phantoms open a two-game weekend set at the Providence Bruins who enter the week on a two-game win streak and are 13-8-4. The P-Bruins are led by Oskar Steen who has scored 10-10-20.

Sunday, January 9 (3:05) – Phantoms at Providence Bruins
The last time the Phantoms played at Providence was November 12. Zach Senyshyn had a hat trick and P-Bruins goalie Jon Gillies defeated the Phantoms 6-3 two weeks before he would join the Phantoms on a tryout contract.

COMEBACK CITY
On December 31, 2021 the Phantoms overcame a four-goal deficit to win for only the fourth time in franchise history. The Phantoms trailed at the Utica Comets by scores of 4-0 and 5-1 before the stunning comeback.
March 2, 2018 – Lehigh Valley Phantoms trailed Hershey 5-1 before rallying for a 7-6 win at PPL Center
March 21, 2017 – Lehigh Valley Phantoms down 4-0 at St. John’s IceCaps and came back to win in overtime 5-4. T.J. Brennan tied the game with under 2:00 left and then scored the overtime winner.
March 31, 1999 – The Philadelphia Phantoms rallied from a four-goal deficit at the Worcester IceCats falling behind 5-1 at the start before eventually winning 8-7.

OVERTIME DRAMA
Lehigh Valley won overtime games on consecutive days for only the second time since the Phantoms arrived in Allentown in 2014. Cal O’Reilly scored the winning goal on December 31, 2021 at the Utica Comets and then Adam Clendening finished off the Bridgeport Islanders on January 1, 2022.
The only other time it happened was November 29 and November 30, 2019. T.J. Brennan scored the winner against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to open the weekend and then Andy Welinski blasted home the overtime goal against the Hartford Wolf Pack one night later

Taxi Squad Recalls:
The NHL has recently approved the return of optional Taxi Squads for teams that need to carry extra players with them. Five players have been recalled to join the Taxi Squad and Flyers roster on their upcoming western road-trip which begins on Wednesday night in Seattle:
F – Jackson Cates
F – Gerry Mayhew
D – Cam York
G – Felix Sandstrom
G – Kirill Ustimenko

Team Scoring Leaders

Garrett Wilson 8-8-16
Gerry Mayhew 9-7-16
x – Morgan Frost 3-12-15
Garrett Wilson 6-8-14
Cal O’Reilly 4-10-14
Adam Clendening 4-9-13
Egor Zamula 2-11-13
Hayden Hodgson 6-6-12

Goaltending Leaders
Garrett Metcalf 1-0-0, 0.99, .962
Pat Nagle 5-0-2, 2.54, .900
Felix Sandstrom 3-7-3, 3.08, .896
Sam Ersson 0-2-1, 2.51, .906

Upcoming Schedule
Wed, Jan 5 at Hershey Bears (7:00)
Fri, Jan 7 at Providence Bruins (7:05)
Sun, Jan 9 at Providence Bruins (3:05)
Fri, Jan 14 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguions (7:05)
Sat, Jan 15 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (7:05) (PPL Center)
Sun, Jan 16 vs. Toronto Marlies (3:05) (PPL Center)

Upcoming Home Games:
Saturday, January 15 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (7:05)
Sunday, January 16 vs. Toronto Marlies (3:05)
Sunday, January 30 vs. Hershey Bears (5:05)

The Phantoms return to PPL Center for a weekend homestand on Saturday, January 15 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Sunday, January 16 against the Toronto Marlies.
January 15 is United Way Night presented by Air Products. Fans are encouraged to bring boxed pasta donations for a chance to win big prizes such as a game worn Phantoms jersey.
January 16 is Youth Jersey Day for the first 1,000 kids age 14 and younger presented by Service Electric and Velaspan.

Tickets for upcoming Phantoms games available HERE

Broadcast coverage of all Phantoms games, home and away, is available on the Phantoms 365 app and on 1470-WSAN. Fans can watch on AHLTV.com and can listen on their Smart Speakers at: “Play Phantoms Radio 24/7.” Join Voice of the Phantoms, Bob Rotruck, for all the action!

Service Electric Network again provides exclusive television coverage of all Phantoms home games with veteran announcer Steve Degler and Phantoms’ alum Steven Swavely on the call from the booth. Kristi Fulkerson reports from ice level and also from the Chickie’s and Pete’s studio with Dan Fremuth for pregame, intermission and postgame show analysis.