PREVIEW: Phantoms at Penguins, Game 58
Home-and-Home Series with Rival W-B/Scranton
TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (25-26-6) continue their Push for the Playoffs as they take on the rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (36-15-7) in a 6:05 p.m. matchup in northeast Pennsylvania. Tonight’s game is the opener of a home-and-home weekend series including a rematch on Sunday afternoon in Allentown.
The Phantoms are tied for fifth and sixth place in the Atlantic Division with the Bridgeport Islanders as both teams are occupying the final playoff spots. With 15 games remaining in the regular season, Lehigh Valley’s Magic Number is 27 points to punch its ticket for the postseason. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has now dropped four in a row (0-2-2) but is still holding second place in the Atlantic Division. The Penguins have a Magic Number of just four points and can potentially clinch a playoff spot tonight but, realistically, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is eyeing a Top 2 finish to earn a bye in the first round of the postseason.
Tonight is Game 58 of the regular season and is the eighth meeting between the Phantoms and Penguins. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton leads the season series 6-1.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for tonight’s game at www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME – Aleksei Kolosov had possibly the best game of his career in a 39-save performance to backstop the Phantoms to a hard-earned 4-1 victory at the Syracuse Crunch on Friday night. Kolosov faced 22 shots in the first period, the most allowed in a single period by Lehigh Valley this season, and never looked back as he repelled one point-blank chance after another after another. Lehigh Valley pushed through on the strength of goals by Tucker Robertson (12th), Brett Harrison (9th), Lane Pederson (19th) and Jacob Gaucher (16th) with an empty-netter to cap the night. The game marked the pro debut of 21-year-old rookie Noah Powell who joined from Arizona State earlier in the week. Brett Harrison made his Lehigh Valley debut a memorable one with a goal in his first game with his new team following three seasons with the Providence Bruins before he joined exactly one week ago via trade. Gaucher’s empty-netter to seal the victory extended his goal-streak to four games.
CAPTAIN GETS THE CALL – Lehigh Valley’s captain and all-time games-played leader has been recalled to the Philadelphia Flyers and joins the team ahead of tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It is potentially Wilson’s first NHL game in seven years. The rugged 6’3″ winger from Barrie, Ontario has not played in the NHL since the 2018-19 season when he suited up in 50 regular-season and four Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Wilson has played in 84 career games in the NHL with Florida and Pittsburgh scoring 2-6-8 while also playing in 10 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Wilson’s last regular-season NHL game was 2,524 days ago on April 16, 2019 for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the New York Islanders. He is 12 years removed from his NHL debut on March 18, 2014 with the Florida Panthers against the San Jose Sharks. Wilson scored his first career NHL goal February 9, 2019 for Florida against Tampa Bay. Since his last game played in the NHL, Wilson has become a father to two young boys, Ty and Wes. Wilson turns 35 years old on Monday.
Wilson is in his sixth season with the Phantoms and his third season as the team’s captain after serving as alternate captain for three years. He is the all-time games played leader in Lehigh Valley history and rates fourth in Phantoms’ franchise history having skated in 341 games with the Phantoms. His 789 penalty minutes is also the most all-time in Lehigh Valley history. He rates fourth in career goals (62) and points (148) with Lehigh Valley.
POWELL’S PRO DEBUT – Noah Powell didn’t exactly have a lot of time to get acclimated. After arriving from Arizona State on Wednesday night and joining the team for one practice on Thursday, it was Go Time for his pro debut on Friday at Syracuse where the new arrival caused several disruptions on the forecheck while connecting on some sharp passes.
Powell, 21, is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound forward who recorded seven goals and five assists for 12 points in 34 games this season as a freshman with the Arizona State Sun Devils. The 2024 selection in the fifth round is from Northbrook, Illinois. Powell led the USHL with 43 goals playing for Dubuque in 2023-24. Powell was born with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. He uses hearing aids and reads lips to communicate.
MARODY TRADED – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have traded forward Cooper Marody to the Coachella Valley Firebirds in exchange for future considerations. Marody, 29, has scored eight goals with 17 assists for 23 points with the Phantoms this season in 41 games. He has played in parts of four seasons for the Phantoms amassing 162 career games and scoring 43 goals with 79 assists for 122 points. He is ninth all-time in Lehigh Valley history in points and is seventh all-time.
GINNING RECORD – Adam Ginning is closing in on Reece Wilcox’s Lehigh Valley record of 232 games by a defenseman. Ginning has played in 229 games with the Phantoms and can potentially tie the record on Wednesday against Providence. Drafted by the Flyers in the second round in 2018, the 6’4″ lefty shot has been a blueline mainstay with Lehigh Valley for four seasons scoring nine goals with 48 assists for 57 points. Ginning has also played in 16 career NHL games with the Philadelphia Flyers including five games this year when he made the team’s Opening Night roster out of training camp.
TRANSACTIONS –
3/7/26 Add Carson Golder (F) – Recalled by LV from Reading
3/7/26 Del Alex Bump (F) – Recalled to PHI
3/11/26 Add Noah Powell (F) – Signed ATO with Phantoms
3/12/26 Del Cooper Marody (F)– Traded to Coachella Valley for future considerations
3/13/26 Del Garrett Wilson (F) – Recalled to PHI
THE FLIGHTLESS FOWL- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (36-15-7) readies for a pair of rivalry showdowns in a home-and-home weekend set against the Phantoms. But the Penguins have run into some obstacles after various transactions and injuries and have now dropped four straight including a 4-2 setback on Friday against Hershey. The Penguins’ hold on second place in the division is down to just six points over Charlotte who also has one game-in-hand. Tristan Broz (14-20-34) leads the offense although the second-year pro has also been dinged up with injury. Matt Dumba (6-14-20) had a hat trick against the Phantoms on February 6 in a wild 6-5 victory at PPL Center. The former longtime Minnesota Wild brings 748 games of NHL experience to the roster of the Baby Pens. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard (15-11-26) has six goals against the Phantoms this season. Ville Koivunen and Avery Hayes are a couple leading scorers currently up with Pittsburgh. But rookie arrivals Tanner Howe (5-3-8 in 13 games) and Melvin Fernstrom (2-6-8 in 9 games) have been very good. The Penguins lead the season series 6-1. The two teams have five games remaining against each other and this weekend marks Games 8 and 9 of the rivalry series.
SCORING LEADERS
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Lane Pederson 19-20-39
Anthony Richard 16-22-38
Christian Kyrou 8-24-32
Jacob Gaucher 16-14-30
x – Alex Bump 11-15-26
Tucker Robertson 12-13-25
W-B/Scranton Scoring Leaders
Tristan Broz 14-20-34
x – Ville Koivunen 11-22-33
Aidan McDonough 16-15-31
x – Avery Hayes 19-11-30
Atley Calvert 11-18-29
Special Teams PP / PK
LV 19.7%, 13th / 75.9%, 30th / PP vs. WBS, 6-28, 21.4%
WBS 16.0%, 25th / 80.7%, 21st / PP vs. LV 9-26, 34.6%
Season Series vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins: (1-6-0)
10/12/25 Home L 1-4
10/22/25 Away L 1-4
11/28/25 Away L 1-4
12/5/25 Away L 2-6
12/28/25 Home W 4-3 (SO)
2/1/26 Home L 2-6
2/6/26 Home L 5-6
3/14/26 Away
3/15/26 Home
3/29/26 Away
4/3/26 Away
4/4/26 Home
LOOKING AHEAD – The Phantoms’ road trip concludes on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
The Phantoms return to PPL Center for a pair of home games including a rematch against the Penguins on Sunday, March 15 followed by a showdown with the first-place Providence Bruins on Wednesday, March 18.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Charlotte Checkers
Charlotte Checkers
