PREVIEW: Phantoms at Charlotte, Game 62
Goals by Period
Shots by Period
Goaltenders
Early Start in Weekend Series Finale
TODAY – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (27-28-6) continue their Push for the Playoffs taking on the first-place Charlotte Checkers (36-20-5), AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers. Today’s afternoon clash is the finale of a two-game weekend series between the divisional foes.
The Phantoms are now all alone in fifth place in the Atlantic Division and are knocking on the door for fourth place, and home-ice advantage in the playoffs, as they trail Hershey by only three points. The Phantoms also hold a two-point edge over Bridgeport and Springfield who are tied for sixth in a chase for the final playoff spot.
With 11 games remaining in the regular season, Lehigh Valley’s Magic Number is 21 points to punch its ticket for the postseason for a fourth consecutive season. As the standings shake out currently, Lehigh Valley would match up with rival Hershey in the first round. The Checkers are solidly in third place in the division but would love to catch Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for second which would come with a playoff first-round bye. Charlotte’s Magic Number to punch its ticket stands at four points.
Today is Game 6 out of 8 in the season series. Lehigh Valley is 0-3-2 against the Checkers.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for tonight’s game at www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME – The Charlotte Checkers came ready to play and pounced on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms who were still feeling their way into the game. A 3-0 lead in the opening minutes was more than enough for the decision as Charlotte eventually prevailed in a 5-1 final on Saturday afternoon. Brian Pinho (9th, 10th) capped the day with a pair of goals in the third period after providing a helper in the first to pace the Checkers’ attack with a three-point performance. Big Cooper Black (23/24) picked up his 21st win of the season. Lehigh Valley received a goal from Oscar Eklind (8th) to break Black’s shutout bid in the third period but that was all for the Orange and Black against Charlotte’s stingy defending.
Charlotte had back-to-back goals in the first 125 seconds of the contest from Mitch Vande Sompel (3rd) and Noah Gregor (10th). Rookie Jack Devine (16th) made it 3-0 at 8:15 into the game and the Checkers held off the Phantoms from there.
WILSON MAKES FLYERS DEBUT – A career milestone unfolded for Phantoms captain Garrett Wilson on Thursday night as he made his long-anticipated return to the NHL—skating in his first game as a member of the Flyers during their 4-3 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. It was Wilson’s first NHL game in seven years and was also his 85th career NHL game including stretches with Florida and Pittsburgh. He followed that up with a second game with the Flyers on Saturday at San Joe getting in a fight with reknowned NHL enforcer Ryan Reeves in a strong and even bout. Lehigh Valley’s all-time games played later received an unexpected NHL contract before the deadline providing the highly regarded veteran leader of the Phantoms to return to the NHL now 940 pro games into his career.
GINNING’S RECORD – Adam Ginning broke Reece Wilcox’s Lehigh Valley record of 232 games by a defenseman. Ginning played his 233rd Phantoms game on Saturday at Charlotte. 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.
RETOOLED ROSTER – An influx of exciting additions are quickly getting acclimated to their new team as Lehigh Valley’s revamped roster appears poised to make some noise down the stretch run.
David Jiricek was the #6 overall selection in the draft on 2022. The big defenseman with the massive, booming shot now has scored 2-4-6 in six games with Lehigh Valley. Jiricek arrived at the trade deadline from the Iowa Wild and has played 84 NHL games with Columbus and Minnesota.
Boris Katchouk joined with almost 200 career games of NHL experience with Ottawa, Chicago and Tampa Bay. Katchouk racked up 21 goals with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last year and is off to a strong start with Lehigh Valley in his first six games with his new team.
Brett Harrison made an impressive splash in his Lehigh Valley debut with a power-play goal two Fridays ago at Syracuse in his very first game with this new team and then scored his second goal in his fourth game with the Phantoms on Wednesday against the Providence Bruins, his former team. Harrison is a third-year pro who came over from the Providence Bruins.
Noah Powell, 21, made his pro debut on March 13 at Syracuse and the Arizona State product came extremely close to scoring his first goal on a breakaway and other strong chances. The Flyers’ fifth-round selection in 2022 out of the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL led his league in juniors with 43 goals.
Phil Tomasino,Max Guenette and Christian Kyrou have all been big contributors since being added to the Phantoms in the first half of the season. Tomasino has played in 218 career NHL games. Guenette has over 200 career games on the blueline with Belleville. Kyrou came over from Texas and represented the Phantoms at the AHL All-Star Classic.
TRANSACTIONS –
3/11/26 Add Noah Powell (F) – Signed ATO with Phantoms
3/13/26 Del Garrett Wilson (F) – Recalled to PHI
3/17/26 Add Cole Knuble (F) – Signed out of Notre Dame by Flyers to Entry-Level Contract
3/18/26 – Owen McLaughlin (F) – Signed by Phantoms out of Boston University. Loaned to Reading Royals
HEATING UP –
David Jiricek 2-4-6 in 6 games since joining Lehigh Valley
Lane Pederson 4-3-7 last 5 games
Phil Tomasino 1-5-6 in 5-game point streak
Boris Katchouk 2-3-5 in 8 games since joining Lehigh Valley
Oliver Bonk 3-7-10 last 14 games and 1-4-5 last 8 games
Anthony Richard 1-6-7 last 5 games and 4-12-16 in last 14 games since Feb 20
CHECKING ON THE CHECKERS – Charlotte (35-20-5) had closing the gap on the second-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and is eyeing a Top 2 finish in the Atlantic to earn a playoff bye. But a five-game win streak came to a crashing halt with back-to-back losses against last-place Hartford on Tuesday and Wednesday. The last time the Phantoms and Checkers had met before Saturday’s game in North Carolina was on March 7 in Allentown and it was certainly a memorable one with Lehigh Valley rallying from a 4-0 deficit to roar all the way back to tie the game with 4:20 left on David Jiricek’s power-play blast in his Phantoms’ debut. But Sandis Vilanis (11-12-23) had the last laugh with the overtime winner on his second goal of the night in the crazy 5-4 final. Charlotte is coming off a Calder Cup Finals appearance last year making it all the way to the end before succumbing to the Abbotsford Canucks. Imposing 6’8″ Cooper Black (22-10-4, 2.56, .902) is the top goaltender on the team. Jack Devine (16-19-35) represented the Checkers at the AHL All-Star Classic and is 10th in AHL rookie scoring. Nolan Foote had an overtime winner in Allentown on December 29 but was recalled to the Florida Panthers last week along with defenseman Michael Benning. Ben Steeves (19-19-38) leads the club. The Phantoms are 0-3-2 against the Checkers with Charlotte racking up 26 goals in the season series including an 8-5 win in Allentown in January.
SCORING LEADERS
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Lane Pederson 22-23-45
Anthony Richard 17-26-43
Christian Kyrou 9-24-33
Jacob Gaucher 16-15-31
Tucker Robertson 12-15-27
Charlotte Scoring Leaders
Ben Steeves 19-19-38
Wilmer Skoog 18-16-34
Jack Devine 16-19-35
x – Nolan Foote 14-18-32
x – Michael Benning 8-23-31
Special Teams PP / PK
LV 19.9%, 12th / 76.7%, 29th / PP vs. CLT, 6-17, 37.5%
CLT 14.3%, 29th / 84.3%, 4th / PP vs. LV 0-12, 0.0%
Series Leaders
Lehigh Valley
Max Gunette 0-5-5
Oscar Eklind 2-2-4
Jacob Gaucher 2-2-4
Anthony Richard 2-2-4
Charlotte
x – Nolan Foote 3-4-7
Noah Gregor 3-2-5
Nate Smith 3-2-5
Brian Pinho 2-3-5
Jack Devine 3-1-4
Season Series vs. Charlotte Checkers: (0-2-2)
12/29/25 Home OTL 2-3 (OT)
1/23/26 Home L 5-8
3/6/26 Home L 3-5
3/7/26 Home OTL 4-5 (OT)
3/21/26 Away L 1-5
3/22/26 Away
4/18/26 Away
4/19/26 Away
LOOKING AHEAD – The Phantoms return home next weekend on Friday, March 27 against the Springfield Thunderbirds on Hockey is for Everyone Night, and Saturday, March 28 in a rivalry showdown against the Hershey Bears.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
