PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Springfield Thunderbirds, Apr 26 2022

It’s a Phantoms GAMEDAY presented by MassMutual! The Lehigh Valley Phantoms open their last homestand of the season tonight against the Springfield Thunderbirds, AHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues.
It is First Responders Night at PPL Center.
The Phantoms are 2-2-1 against the T-Birds this season including a 7-4 win for the Phantoms at Springfield as part of a weekend sweep the last time the teams met on March 19.
Lehigh Valley (28-30-15) is playing game 74 of the season and there are three games remaining including tonight with three of those games in Allentown.

LAST TIME
Pat Nagle was sensational in a 42-save shutout at Hershey. Cooper Zech’s first goal of the season broke the scoreless tie in the third period and Linus Sandin had a two-point night including an important breathing-room marker. But it was Nagle who stole the show with a record-setting performance to establish a new high for most saves in a shutout for a Lehigh Valley goalie.

HISTORIC NIGHT
Pat Nagle set a new Lehigh Valley record for most saves in a shutout. His 42-save total is also third-most in Phantoms’ franchise history for a shutout performance.

LEHIGH VALLEY RECORDS
Most Saves in Shutout:
42 – Pat Nagle, 4/23/2022 – Lehigh Valley 2 at Hershey 0
40 – Dustin Tokarski, 2/13/2018 – Lehigh Valley 5 at Bridgeport 0
40 – Martin Ouellette, 4/6/2016 – Lehigh Valley 4 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 0

PHANTOMS FRANCHISE RECORDS
Most Saves in Shutout:
46 – Scott Munroe, 11/9/2008 – at Philadelphia Phantoms 2 – Providence 0
44 – Jamie Storr, 10/22/2005 – Philadelphia Phantoms 1 at Norfolk 0
42 – Pat Nagle, 4/23/2022 – Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2 at Hershey 0

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS
The Phantoms are 2-2-1 against Springfield including a 7-4 thrashing the last time the teams met on March 19 in Springfield which was a two-game weekend sweep for the Phantoms. Wade Allison and Cal O’Reilly each had a pair of goals in that game. Springfield (41-24-9) can clinch second place in the Atlantic, a first-round playoff bye, with a win. A pair of veterans lead the way for the St. Louis Blues affiliate including Sam Anas (20-40-60) and Matthew Peca (21-38-59). Former Hershey Bear Nathan Walker had a hat trick against the Phantoms on January 28 but is currently up with St. Louis.

PHANTASTIC!
– The Phantoms are on a nine-game home-ice point streak (6-0-3) since March 11.
– The Phantoms are on an overall six-game point streak (2-0-4)
– The Phantoms now have seven players who have reached double digits in goals: Cal O’Reilly (20), Hayden Hodgson (19), Garrett Wilson (17), Max Willman (11), Wade Allison (10), Isaac Ratcliffe (10), Maksim Sushko (10)
– The Phantoms are 16-1-2 when scoring four or more goals. The Phantoms are 16-2-3 when leading at the second intermission.
– Six Phantoms players have made their NHL debuts this season: Max Willman, Felix Sandstrom, Linus Sandin, Isaac Ratcliffe, Hayden Hodgson, Linus Hogberg
– The Phantoms have played 74 games and have 3 remaining in the 2021-22 regular season.

Upcoming Schedule
Tuesday, April 26 vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (7:05) (PPL Center)
Wednesday, April 27 vs. Cleveland Monsters (7:05) (PPL Center)
Saturday, April 30 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (7:05) (PPL Center) Star Wars Night!! Season Finale

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!