November 14, 2017
This Week
Wednesday, November 15 (7:00 p.m.) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms @ Belleville Senators
Friday, November 17 (7:30 p.m.) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms @ Laval Rocket
Upcoming
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (9-4-0-2, 20 pts., 0.667 pts. pct., 3rd Atlantic Division) head north this week as they continue their season-long six-game road trip with a pair of tilts up in Canada.
The Phantoms return to action this Wednesday, November 15 when they make their first-ever trip to Belleville for a 7:00 p.m. showdown with the Senators. Belleville (7-7-0-1, 15 pts., 0.500 pts. pct., 4th North Division) won two of three games last week and enters the week having claimed five of its last eight outings overall. The Senators grabbed a 4-3 victory over the Binghamton Devils last Wednesday and captured a 5-4 overtime triumph against the Rochester Americans on Saturday around a 4-2 setback to the Americans on Friday. Seven of Belleville’s last 10 games have been decided by just a single goal and the Senators are 5-1-0-1 in one-goal tilts this season.
Wednesday’s contest will mark the first of just two total meetings between the Phantoms and Senators during the 2017-18 regular season. After Wednesday, Lehigh Valley and Belleville won’t meet again until Saturday, March 31 when the two sides conclude their regular season series with a showdown at PPL Center.
The Phantoms then cap this week’s action on Friday, November 17 when the team heads to Laval for their first-ever meeting with the Rocket. Laval (8-5-2-0, 18 pts., 0.600 pts. pct., 3rd North Division) split a pair of road games last weekend suffering a 6-4 setback to the Springfield Thunderbirds on Friday before claiming a 3-2 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday. The new AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, the Rocket enter the week having won three of their last four games and four of six overall.
Friday’s tilt will be the first of two head-to-head meetings this season between Lehigh Valley and Laval before the Phantoms and Rocket cap their regular season series on Saturday, December 2 at PPL Center.
- Phantoms By The Numbers
Forward Danick Martel (right) enters the week leading all Phantoms and all AHL skaters with 14 goals this season. The third-year winger recently enjoyed a six-game goal-scoring streak (7 goals, 10/27-11/8) and has found the back of the net in 10 of Lehigh Valley’s 15 games to date. He is currently tied for second among all AHLers in total scoring with 19 points (14 goals, 5 assists).- Forward Phil Varone enters the week second among all Phantoms and tied for eighth among all AHL skaters with 15 points (3 goals, 12 assists). The seventh-year pro produced three points (goal, 2 assists) in two games last week and has registered at least one point in nine of his last 12 games overall.
- Lehigh Valley is 9-1-0-1 when scoring three or more goals this season and are 8-0-0-1 when allowing three goals against or fewer.
- The Phantoms have won five of their last six road outings and are 5-2-0-1 overall on the road this season.
- The Phantoms power play has produced an impressive 10 man-advantage markers over the team’s last eight contests. Lehigh Valley’s power play is 10-for-43 (23.3 percent) since October 25.
Last Week
Wednesday, November 8: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4 – Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2
Danick Martel scored his league-leading 14th goal of the season and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms tallied four unanswered goals in earning a come-from-behind 4-2 triumph over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Martel’s goal extended his goal-scoring streak to six consecutive games (7 goals) and was part of his sixth multi-point game this season (goal, assist).
Phil Varone (3rd), Oskar Lindblom (3rd) and Tyrell Goulbourne (2nd) also found the back of the net for Lehigh Valley in front of goaltender Alex Lyon who earned his sixth win of the year thanks to a season-high 42 saves.
Saturday, November 11: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 1 – Hershey Bears 6
Greg Carey notched his fifth goal of the season and Lehigh Valley’s power play connected for the seventh time over the last eight games but it wasn’t enough as the Phantoms were handed a 6-1 setback at the Hershey Bears. During Lehigh Valley’s recent special teams surge, the Phantoms have produced 10 man-advantage markers over their last 43 opportunities (23.3 percent).
Phil Varone and Colin McDonald assisted on Carey’s power play conversion as Varone tallied a point for the ninth time over his last 12 outings.
Broadcast Coverage
Service Electric’s TV2 Sports will be broadcasting live each of the Phantoms’ 31 home games throughout the 2017-2018 regular season. 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, Todd Fedoruk, Doug Heater and Kristi Fulkerson! Pre-game coverage begins with “Phantoms Front and Center” 30 minutes before puck drop.
Be sure to also catch each and every Phantoms game this season live on 1470-AM WSAN, 790-AM WAEB or via the iHeartRadio app and Phantoms365 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 each and every Phantoms home game throughout the 2017-18 season are available online at pplcenter.com, by calling 610-347-TIXX [8499] or in-person at the QNB Box Office [7th & Hamilton].
