Phantoms Weekly – Phantoms Continue Home Stand With 3 Games at PPL Center

March 22, 2016

This Week

Wednesday, March 23 (7:05 p.m.) – Hershey Bears @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms
(Health Care Workers Appreciation. Non-Profit Awareness Night.)

Friday, March 25 (7:05 p.m.) – Providence Bruins @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms

Saturday, March 26 (7:05 p.m.) – Hartford Wolf Pack @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms
(Fan Appreciation Night.)

Upcoming

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (27-31-7, 61 pts., 7th Atlantic Division) continue their four-game home stand with a trio of Atlantic Division showdowns at PPL Center this week.

JustSports PhotographyThe Phantoms return to action this Wednesday, March 23 when they welcome the rival Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, to downtown Allentown for the final time this season. Hershey (35-18-11, 81 pts., 2nd Atlantic Division) was swept in a home-and-home series with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last week suffering a 4-1 defeat at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday before falling in a 6-5 overtime decision at home on Sunday. The Bears enter the week having dropped four of their last five games overall following a five-game winning streak at the beginning of the month.

Wednesday’s game, which is Health Care Workers Appreciation and Non-Profit Awareness Night, will mark the 11th of 12 total meetings during the 2015-2016 regular season between Lehigh Valley and Hershey and the final rivalry showdown set at PPL Center. The Phantoms are 6-4 overall against the Bears and have claimed four of the last six head-to-head meetings against their Pennsylvania foes. Lehigh Valley is 3-2 against Hershey in games played in downtown Allentown this season.

JustSports PhotographyThe Phantoms are then back at PPL Center on Friday, March 25 when they host the Providence Bruins, the AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins, in a 7:05 p.m. showdown. Providence (33-19-12, 78 pts., 3rd Atlantic Division) won all three games last week and enters the week having claimed six of its last eight games overall. During a productive week, the Bruins earned a 2-1 shootout win at the Albany Devils last Wednesday before notching a 5-4 win at the Toronto Marlies on Friday followed by a 4-1 triumph at the Rochester Americans on Saturday. Before visiting Lehigh Valley this Friday, Providence will first travel to Hartford on Wednesday for a showdown with the Wolf Pack.

Friday’s contest is the sixth and final meeting of the year between Lehigh Valley and Providence. The Phantoms are 3-2 against the Bruins this season and have claimed three of the last four head-to-head meetings.

Lehigh Valley then concludes its four-game home stand on Saturday, March 26 when the Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers, invade PPL Center for the final time this season. Like Providence, Hartford (35-27-2, 72 pts., 6th Atlantic Division) won all three games last week and in so doing, extended its winning streak to six straight games. The Wolf Pack started their productive week with a 4-3 overtime victory against the Portland Pirates on Friday before capturing a 4-3 shootout triumph over the Springfield Falcons on Saturday and eventually capping the week with a 3-0 shutout at Springfield on Sunday. During Hartford’s recent six-game surge, the Wolf Pack have outscored their opposition 22-13.

JustSports PhotographyWith Saturday’s contest, the Phantoms and Wolf Pack will conclude their regular season series. Lehigh Valley is 1-3-1 in five previous meetings with Hartford and was handed a 4-2 setback at XL Center on March 12 in the most recent collision.

Saturday’s game is the highly-anticipated Fan Appreciation Night where loads of prizes will be given away throughout the game in celebration of the best fans in hockey. A limited number of tickets remain for each of the three games this week and can be secured online at pplcenter.com, by calling 610-347-TIXX [8499] or in-person at the Mealey’s Furniture Box Office at PPL Center [701 Hamilton Street].

  • Phantoms By The Numbers
  • JustSports PhotographyForward Danick Martel enters the week first among all Phantoms and tied for third among all AHL rookies with 21 goals this season. A 5’8″, 166-pound winger, Martel also leads all Lehigh Valley skaters and is tied for second among all first-year AHLers with four game-winning goals this year.
  • Winger Chris Conner enters the week first among all active Phantoms with 31 assists and 45 total points. With points in two of three games last week, the 32-year-old forward has produced at least one point in 21 of his last 26 outings having managed nine goals, 20 assists and 29 points during that stretch.
  • First-year defenseman Samuel Morin enters the week as the only Phantoms player to have appeared in each of Lehigh Valley’s 65 games to date. The 6’7″, 227-pound blueliner has produced three goals, 12 assists, 15 points and 86 penalty minutes this season.
  • The Phantoms enter the week having enjoyed standing room-only sellouts in each of the team’s last eight straight games at PPL Center. With 19 capacity crowds this season, Lehigh Valley has now enjoyed 41 regular season sellouts since PPL Center opened its doors in the Fall of 2014. What’s more, the Phantoms enter the week as one of just seven AHL teams averaging better than 8,000 fans per game (8,201).

Last Week

RCH1Wednesday, March 16: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 1 – Rochester Americans 3

Aaron Palushaj netted his 11th goal of the season and the Phantoms put 43 shots on the goal of the Rochester Americans but Rochester was able to escape with a 3-1 win inside Blue Cross Arena. Americans’ goaltender Linus Ullmark earned the win with 42 saves while Lehigh Valley’s Anthony Stolarz turned in another solid performance with 28 saves on 31 Rochester shots.

Cole Schneider, Justin Bailey and Chad Ruhwedel converted for Rochester as the Phantoms earned a split in their season series (1-1-0) with the Americans.

Friday, March 18: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2 – Toronto Marlies 3 (OT)

Tim Brent (6th) and Petr Straka (19th) both scored for Lehigh Valley as the Phantoms were able to push AHL-leading Toronto to a regulation tie before Colin Smith sealed the come-from-behind overtime decision for the Marlies. Making his 13th start over the team’s last 14 games, Anthony Stolarz was brilliant once again between the pipes as he denied 34 of Toronto’s 37 total shots.

Sam Carrick and Brendan Leipsic netted the equalizers in regulation for Toronto before Smith’s overtime winner while Alex Stalock earned the win in goal for the Marlies with 23 saves on 25 Phantoms shots.

P0320_0478Sunday, March 20: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2 – Portland Pirates 4

Adam Comrie blasted home his 5th goal of the season and Chris Conner chipped in his 14th tally of the year and team-leading 45th point but the Portland Pirates were able to escape downtown Allentown with a 4-2 win. After just four shots on goal in the first period, the Phantoms erupted for 26 in the final 40 minutes and closed the gap to just a single goal with just under 90 seconds left in regulation before Wayne Simpson netted his second goal of the game sealing the victory for the visiting Pirates.

Lehigh Valley’s valiant comeback came in front of 8,422 raucous spectators at PPL Center as the Phantoms enjoyed their eighth straight standing room-only sellout and 19th regular season capacity crowd this season.

Broadcast Coverage

Service Electric’s TV2 Sports will be broadcasting live all of the Phantoms’ six remaining regular season home games. If you can’t make it out to the rink, be sure to catch all the exciting action live in HD quality with Steve Degler, Peter Zingoni, Doug Heater and Kristi Fulkerson! Pre-game coverage begins with “Phantoms Front and Center” 30 minutes before puck drop. And don’t miss “Phantoms – Breaking the Ice” every Monday from 7:00 – 7:30 p.m. throughout the season live at Chickie’s & Pete’s at PPL Center!

Be sure to also catch each and every Phantoms game this season live on Fox Sports 1470 AM, online at Fox1470.com or via the iHeartRadio app! Join Voice of the Phantoms, Bob Rotruck, for all of the heart-pumping action of Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey whether the team is at home or on the road. “Countdown to Faceoff” begins 45 minutes prior to puck drop.

Ticket Information

Tickets for all of the Phantoms’ six remaining regular season home games are available now online at pplcenter.com, by calling 610-347-TIXX [8499] or in-person at the Mealey’s Furniture Box Office at PPL Center (7th & Hamilton).

RISE UP! Don’t miss the action and fun of Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey at PPL Center in downtown Allentown! Contact the Phantoms Front Office for information on season tickets and groups for the 2015-2016 season of Phantoms hockey by calling 610-224-GOAL [4625].

In the midst of their 20th season of operation, the Phantoms are coming off their Inaugural Season as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms playing at the state-of-the-art PPL Center. Established in 1996, the Philadelphia Phantoms spent their first 13 seasons at the Spectrum before re-locating to Glens Falls, New York in 2009 where the team spent the next five seasons as the Adirondack Phantoms. A new era of Phantoms hockey began in the fall of 2014 when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms began play at the state-of-the-art PPL Center. Through 18 incredibly successful campaigns, the Phantoms have captured two Calder Cup Championships (1998, 2005), two Conference Championships (1998, 2005), two Regular Season Titles (1996-97, 1997-98) and four Division Championships (1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2003-04).