PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Bridgeport, Game 27
Homestand Continues Against Islanders
TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (13-10-3) continue their longest hometand of the season as they host the Bridgeport Islanders (10-12-2) in Game 2 of a season-long six-game homestand.
Tonight is Game #27 of the season and also Game 2 out of 8 between the Phantoms and Islanders this year. Lehigh Valley demolished the Islanders at Bridgeport, 6-2, on November 5.
The Phantoms are back tomorrow night for the annual Teddy Bear Toss, presented by Big Woody’s, when they take on the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for tonight’s game at www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME – The Phantoms set up strong chances throughout Wednesday’s game at PPL Center. But when presented with some of their biggest opportunities, they were unable to cash in as a scrappy Springfield squad somehow emerged with a 3-1 win. Alex Bump (7th) sniped on the rush off a terrific stretch pass by Denver Barkey to get the Phantoms on the board early in the third period. But when Lehigh Valley needed a big penalty kill right after that the Phantoms were unable to come through in the key moment as the T-Birds re-took the lead. And without many chances through the night, Springfield was still opportunistic. Chris Wagner (7th) scored shorthanded late in the second to break a scoreless tie, and Aleksantari Kaskiamki (5th) struck on the power play for the Thunderbirds while Vadim Zherenko turned in a strong 23-save performance.
HOME SWEET HOME – The Phantoms have played 10 home games and 16 away games. That’s the second-fewest home games in the AHL (Springfield has nine) and also tied for the most away games. At last, that changes this week with a 6-game homestand which includes a Holiday Break in the middle. It is tied for the longest homestand in Lehigh Valley history. Lehigh Valley has no more away games in 2025 and will play its next away game on January 3, 2016 at Belleville. The Phantoms are 6-3-1 at home.
MURCH RETURNS! – Ty Murchison made it back to Allentown in time to jump into the lineup for Wednesday’s game.
Murchison, 22, made his NHL debut last week on December 9 for the Philadelphia Flyers against the San Jose Sharks and played in three games with the team while impressing throughout his stint. He has scored one goal with three assists while accumulating 30 penalty minutes with the Phantoms this season in 22 games played. He became the 48th Lehigh Valley Phantoms player to be recalled for an NHL debut with the Philadelphia Flyers and the first to do so this season. He also became the fifth Lehigh Valley Phantoms player to receive a recall to Philadelphia joining Aleksei Kolosov, Jacob Gaucher, Emil Andrae and Carl Grundstrom.
CARSON CRUSHING IT – Rookie goaltender Carson Bjarnason has thrived at the pro level in his debut season. The 20-year-old from Carbury, Manitoba has gone 6-2-2, 2.52, .911. Bjarnason currently ratesd 10th in the AHL in GAA. And he’s been even better in his last four games going 3-0-1, 2.15, .920. Since October 31 he has only one regulation loss going 5-1-1, 2.51, .911.
Bjarnason has also been an ace in the shootout this season playing in four shootout games this year and going 2-2. Following his stellar 8-for-8 performance on Saturday, he has now allowed just two shootout goals on 16 total shooters which is the most shootout attempts seen for any goaltender in the league. Six of his 10 starts have gone to overtime or shootout including the last three straight. The 6’4″ netminder out of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL was a Round 2 (#51 overall) selection of the Flyers in the 2023 NHL Draft.
GAUCH GETS IT GOING – Jacob Gaucher had a three-game goal streak which includes both games last weekend on the road when he scored Lehigh Valley’s lone goal of each contest. The 24-year-old right-shooting center from Longueuil, Quebec tied for the team lead (with Alexis Gendron) with 20 goals last season and also earned an NHL contract midseason leading to his NHL debut on February 2, 2025 with the Philadelphia Flyers. He played four games with the Flyers last year and then received an early recall this season as well when he played three more games with the big club. Gaucher has now played 152 career games with the Phantoms as well as seven games with the Flyers and 74 games with the Reading Royals for a combined 233 professional games in the Flyers’ organization over four seasons.
ISLANDS IN THE STREAM – It‘s the second of eight games between the Phantoms and Islanders and also the first PPL Center appearance for Bridgeport (10-12-2) who had a three-game win streak snapped on a Saturday in a 5-0 loss against surging Syracuse. Last week, the Islanders impressively snagged a 2-1 win at North Division-leading Laval. Former Flyers’ assistant coach Rocky Thompson has taken the reins in Bridgeport where the Phantoms prevailed 6-2 in the only other meeting on the strength of a big four-point night for Denver Barkey (1g, 3a) and two goals for Lane Pederson. This is not the doormat of the league any longer. Alex Jeffries (5-12-17) is a third-year pro who leads the team in scoring. Matthew Maggio (4-13-17) is having a strong season and had a nice shootout winner against Springfield a couple weeks ago. Defenseman Cole McWard (5-10-15) came over from Abbotsford and blasted home an overtime winner at Belleville last week. 36-year-old Chris Terry (3-7-10) is always dangerous and his 333 career goals rates 12th in league history and first among active players. 20-year-old defenseman Jesse Pulkkinen is a second-rounder in 2024 and one of their top prospects but 24-year-old blueliner Marshall Warren has been recalled to New York. Former Phantom Parker Gahagen has been sent to ECHL Worcester and the Islanders reassigned big Henrik Tikkanen (4-1-0, 2.52, .898) to Bridgeport.
SCORING LEADERS
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Alex Bump 7-13-20
Anthony Richard 8-10-18
Lane Pederson 7-10-17
Denver Barkey 8-8-16
x – Carl Grundstrom 6-9-15
Christian Kyrou 4-10-14
Bridgeport Scoring Leaders
Alex Jeffries 5-12-17
Matthew Maggio 4-13-17
Matthew Highmore 5-11-16
Cole McWard 5-10-15
Joey Larson 9-5-14
Special Teams PP / PK
LV 18.3%, 18th / 76.4%, 29th
BRI 12.9%, 29th / 80.9%, 16th
SEASON SERIES vs. BRIDGEPORT (1-0-0)
11/5/25 Away W 6-2
12/19/25 Home
1/16/26 Home
1/19/26 Away
1/31/26 Home
2/7/26 Away
3/8/26 Away
4/11/26 Home
LOOKING AHEAD – The Phantoms host the Bridgeport Islanders on a Berks Dollar Dog Friday and also featuring the Service Electric Network Warm-Up Drive as part of a big six-game homestand from December 17 through December 31.
Saturday, it’s the annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by Big Woody’s against the Hartford Wolf Pack.
After the holiday break, the Phantoms host the Charlotte Chewckers on Saturday, December 27.
Sunday, December 28 is a 3:05 start against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins featuring Postgame Autographs with the Phantoms players presented by NJM Insurance.
Before the World’s Largest Puck Drop takes place on New Year’s Eve outside PPL Center at the corner of Seventh and Hamilton, the puck drops inside as the Phantoms take on the rival Hershey Bears with a special 3:05 p.m. start time on Wednesday, December 31. Family-friendly activities fill the concourse as we ring in 2026 inglowing fashion!
