PREVIEW: Phantoms at Rochester, Game 25
Aiming for Bounce Back at Resurgent Rochester
TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (12-9-3) look for a big win to conclude their three-game road trip as they tangle with the Rochester Americans (14-9-2), AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. Lehigh Valley is hanging on to third place in the Atlantic. Rochester is in second in the North and on a five-game point streak (3-0-2).
Tonight is Game #25 of the season and the final game of a three-game road trip as well as the last away game in 2025.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for tonight’s game at www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME – There were plenty of Hellos and handshakes from former teammates before the game. But when the puck dropped it was all business as the Syracuse Crunch held off the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-1 on Friday night. The Phantoms almost pulled it off. Trying to shake off a sluggish start, Lehigh Valley racked up 11 shots in the third and Jacob Gaucher (4th) broke through late with a 6-on-4 goal to break Kevin Mandolese’s bid for a shutout. But it wasn’t enough and Syracuse held on 3-1.
Roman Schmidt made his Phantoms’ debut and did it against his former team. The hulking 6’5″ defenseman was acquired via trade on Monday for Ethan Samson who also got to see his ex-teammates.
Dylan Duke (8th) scored in the opening seconds of the second period on a deflection of a Conor Geekie power-play shot to put the Crunch ahead. Former Flyer Jakob Pelletier (13th) stuffed a shorthanded breakaway around the left pad of Kolosov on a pretty backhand move to make it 2-0. A late empty-netter for Geekie from 200 feet away in the corner capped the night.
TRANSACTIONS –
12/6/25 Del Ty Murchison (D) – Recalled to PHI
12/8/25 Del Ethan Samson (D) – Traded to TB (Assigned to Syracuse)
12/8/25 Add Roman Schmidt (D) – Via Trade from TB (Syracuse)
MURCHISON NHL DEBUT – Ty Murchison became the first Lehigh Valley Phantoms player this season to enjoy an NHL “Rookie Lap” when he made his debut for the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks in a 4-1 win. The Flyers’ fifth-round selection in 2021 out of Arizona State became the 48th Lehigh Valley Phantoms player all-time to join the Philadelphia Flyers for his rookie lap and NHL debut. And the first this year and also the first since Jacob Gaucher on February 2, 2025. Murchison was honored by his teammates in the room after the game with the handoff of the Bernie Parent mask as the team’s player of the game. Murchison, 22, stayed with the Flyers and played well in his second career NHL game on Thursday against Vegas. He has scored one goal with three assists while accumulating 30 penaltty minutes with the Phantoms this season in 21 games played. He also played in four games with the Phantoms at the end of last season scoring one goal with one assist.
ROMAN SCHMIDT ACQUIRED FOR SAMSON – The Philadelphia Flyers acquired defenseman Roman Schmidt from Tampa Bay in exchange for defenseman Ethan Samson.
Schmidt, 22, has appeared in 13 games this season with Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound native of Midland, Michigan has recorded one assist and leads the Crunch with 38 penalty minutes and was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft. He has scored 3-7-10 in 63 career AHL games, along with 117 total penalty minutes.
Samson, 22, was selected by the Flyers in the sixth round in the 2021 NHL Draft and has played parts of three seasons for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms appearing in 142 games and scoring 15-25-40.
NEW BLOOD – Friday was the third consecutive game for a new defenseman to make his Lehigh Valley debut. Recently acquired Roman Schmidt entered the lineup to keep the streak going. Last Saturday, it was first-rounder Oliver Bonk making his pro debut for the Phantoms after recovering from a preseason injury. On Sunday, it was Max Guenette who played in his first game for Lehigh Valley. He was acquired from the Ottawa Senators on November 17 in a trade for Dennis Gilbert. Then it was the 6’5″ Schmidt who was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers’ organization last Monday in exchange for Ethan Samson.
PHANTASTIC
– Alex Bump is 4th in the AHL with 78 shots and is first among all rookies.
– Bump (6-13-19) is also on a 3-game point streak.
– The Phantoms are 7-0-1 when scoring 4 or more goals
– The Phantoms are 9-0-2 when scoring the first goal of the game
ALL ABOUT THE AMERKS – The Phantoms already have a 4-2 win against Rochester on November 19 at PPL Center and now the two teams rematch in Western New York. Rochester (14-9-2) is on a fIve-game point streak (3-0-2) after a 6-1 thrashing of Belleville on Wednesday and are solidly in second place in the North Division behind only Laval. The Amerks took three out of four points at Charlotte last weekend and are finding their stride in their 70th Anniversary season. Former New York Rangers prospect Zac Jones (1-22-23) has been a strong add and leads all AHL defensemen in scoring and rates first in the entire league in assists. 19-year-old Konsta Helenius (9-14-23) had 3 points on Wednesday and is a first-rounder who is thriving in his second professional season. First-rounder Noah Ostlund has played well with Buffalo in 20 games this season but was sent back to Rochester while fellow first-rounder Isak Rosen was recalled back up to the big club. Second-rounder Anton Walhberg (4-8-12) is another one of the many young prospects in Buffalo’s system to be aware of. 23-year-old Northeastern product Devon Levi (10-4-2, 2.91, .903) has been a workhorse and rates 2nd in the AHL in minutes (947) and third in saves (429). Rochester is 5th in the AHL in offense (3.52 gpg) and 3rd on the power play (26.9%).
Christian Kyrou led the way with a goal and a snazzy assist on a pivotal Denver Barkey strike in Lehigh Valley’s earlier victory over the Amerks.
SCORING LEADERS
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Alex Bump 6-13-19
Anthony Richard 8-10-18
Lane Pederson 7-10-17
x – Carl Grundstrom 6-9-15
Denver Barkey 7-8-15
Christian Kyrou 4-10-14
Rochester Scoring Leaders
Konsta Helenius 9-14-23
Zac Jones 1-22-23
x – Isak Rosén 9-10-19
Viktor Neuchev 6-9-15
Jagger Joshua 5-7-12
Special Teams PP / PK
LV 20.0%, 15th / 76.8%, 28th
ROC 26.9%, 3rd / 81.3%, 13th
LOOKING AHEAD – Next weekend, the road trip continues with a pair of Empire State contests at the Syracuse Crunch and Rochester Americans.
The Phantoms have a big six-game homestand coming up from December 17 through December 31 including the annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by Big Woody’s on Saturday, December 20 against the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Other exciting promos in the upcoming homestand include the Service Electric Warm-Up Drive on December 19 and Postgame Autographs on December 28.
Rochester Americans
