Lehigh Valley Phantoms (24-19-6) at Grand Rapids Griffins (26-18-4)
Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI
Wedneday, February 19, 2025 (7:05 p.m.) – Game #50
TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms head to the upper midwest for a Great Lakes road trip beginning tonight at the Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. The Phantoms and Griffs will rematch on Friday night
Lehigh Valley (24-19-6) is in fifth place in the Atlantic Division and is coming off a weekend with two wins out of three games. The Phantoms have also won four of their last six. Lehigh Valley is above the playoff cut-line in fifth place in the Atlantic Division. There are 23 games remaining in the regular season.
Grand Rapids (26-18-4) has falled out of first place in the North Division having dropped six of its last seven including a five-game losing streak that saw the Griffins’ offense struggle mightily with three consecutive shutouts.
The last time the Phantoms visited Grand Rapids, Michigan was January 9-10, 2009 when the Philadelphia Phantoms split a pair of games at the Griffs.
LAST TIME –The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins got their revenge in Lehigh Valley’s home building to conclude the weekend on a rivalry-infused Sunday afternoon of intensity and scraps on meLVin’s birthday. Garrett Wilson fired up the crowd when he dropped the gloves with Dan Renouf in the first period but it wasn’t enough for the Phantoms to recover in their comeback efforts. After falling behind 3-0, Lehigh Valley pulled the score to within 3-2 on goals by J.R. Avon (5th) and Rodrigo Abols (10th). Later, Helge Grans (7th) got the Phantoms to within a goal again at 4-3. Tristan Broz (15th) scored his seventh of the year against the Phantoms. The Penguins improved to 7-1-2 against Lehigh Valley.
MEDIA MATERIALS – Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for upcoming games at the following link: https://www.phantomshockey.com/media-materials/
TRANSACTIONS –
Feb 16 Sawyer Boulton – Add – Recalled from Reading
Feb 16 Xavier Bernard – Add – Recalled from Reading
Feb 17 Mason Primeau – Add – Recalled from Reading
PHANTASTIC –
– Goaltender Parker Gahagen had a personal seven-game win streak from December 28 through February 14 going an incredible 7-0-0, 1.38, .947 during that stretch. The win streak finally came to an end on Sunday against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The 31-year-old Army Captain also improved to 3-0 in shootouts with victories on January 17 at Rochester, February 7 vs. Cleveland and February 14 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
– 21-year-old rookie winger Alexis Gendron had his second multi-goal game of the season on Saturday and has caught up to Jacob Gaucher for the team lead in goals. Both Gendron and Gaucher have 15 goals apiece. Gendron has been heating up with four goals in the last seven games.
– The Phantoms won two out of three games last weekend and have now won four of their last six. Lehigh Valley moved to six games over .500 for the first time this season but then fell back to five games over.
– The Phantoms lead the AHL with 17 overtime games and are also tied for the tops with seven OT wins (along with Laval). Olle Lycksell leads the AHL with three overtime winners. Lehigh Valley is 7-5 in overtimes and 4-1 in shootouts. Lehigh Valley is also second in one-goal games with 29 (Hershey has 31) and boasts a record of 17-6-6 in the squeakers including 10-2-3 at home.
IMPENDING MILESTONES
– Garrett Wilson, 398 pro points
– Garrett Wilson, 267 games with Lehigh Valley (Record: Greg Carey, 277 games)
GREETING THE GRIFFS – Grand Rapids (26-18-4) has slipped out of first place in the North Division taking losses in six of the last seven but the Griffins are still just three points back of Milwaukee for the top spot. The Griffs took a pair of games in Allentown in October 5-2 and 4-3 in a shootout led by Amadeus Lombardi with two goals in the Saturday opener and then a shootout winner in the Sunday finale.
Stingy defense and solid goaltending are the strengths of the Detroit Red Wings’ farm club as Grand Rapids rates second in the AHL at just 2.60 goals allowed per game. 31-year-old Dominik Shine (11-24-35) is back after making his NHL debut and recording his first NHL point earlier in the month following 9 seasons and 467 games with the Griffs. Former Hershey Bear Joe Snively (18-14-32) is tied with former Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canuck Sheldon Dries (18-8-26) for the team-lead in goals. 20-year-old center Nate Danielson (4-20-24) was the #9 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. 22-year-old goaltender Sebastian Cossa (15-9-3, 2.25, .917) is a 2021 first-rounder (#15 overall) helped Canada to a 2022 World Juniors gold medal.
Rookies Shai Buium and Carter Mazur won a national championship with Lehigh Valley’s Massimo Rizzo last year at the University of Denver. Mazur and Rizzo (pictured) were roommates and good friends at D.U.
Scoring Leaders
Phantoms
Olle Lycksell 13-19-32
Samu Tuomaala 11-20-31
Jacob Gaucher 15-14-29
Rodrigo Abols 10-13-23
Alexis Gendron 15-7-22
Anthony Richard 9-12-21
Helge Grans 7-11-18
Grand Rapids
Dominik Shine 11-24-35
Joe Snively 18-14-32
Austin Watson 12-17-29
Sheldon Dries 18-8-26
Nate Danielson 4-20-24
Antti Tuomisti 2-18-20
Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 18.1%, 17th / PK 80.6%, 23rd / PP vs. GR, 1-for-3
Grand Rapids – PP 16.4%, 26th / PK 82.3%, 16th / PP vs. LV, 2-for-9
SEASON SERIES
10/26/24 Home L 2-5
10/27/24 Home SOL 3-4 (SO)
2/19/25 Away
2/21/25 Away
SERIES LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Anthony Richard 2-0-2
Alexis Gendron 1-1-2
Samu Tuomaala 0-2-2
Grand Rapids
Amadeus Lombardi 2-2-4
Dominik Shine 1-2-3
Sheldon Dries 2-0-2
COMING UP – The Phantoms continue their four-game road trip with a Friday night reamtch at Grand Rapids followed by a Saturday clash at the Rockford IceHogs. The Phantoms return to PPL Center on Friday, February 28 and Saturday, March 1 for a two-game series against the Bridgeport Islanders featuring Hockey is For Everyone Night and a Mardi Gras Celebration!
UPCOMING
Wednesday, February 19 (7:00) – Phantoms at Grand Rapids Griffins
Friday, February 21 (7:00) – Phantoms at Grand Rapids Griffins
Saturday, February 22 (8:00) – Phantoms at Rockford IceHogs
Tuesday, February 25 (8:00) – Phantoms at Milwaukee Admirals
