PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Syracuse, Game 7
3 Game Win Streak as Phantoms Return to PPL Center
TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (3-2-1) are riding a three-game win streak as they return to PPL Center to open a weekend homestand tonight against the Syracuse Crunch, AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Phantoms racked up a perfect three-game road trip last week and look to carry that momentum back at home.
Tonight is Game 7 of the 2026-27 season and is the first of four games in the season series between Lehigh Valley and Syracuse. The Crunch (3-4-1) have dropped two straight including a 3-2 overtime setback against Rochester last night.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for tonight’s game at www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME – Alex Bump (6th, 7th) scored a 5-on-3 power-play goal to tie the game and then won it in overtime with his fifth goal of the three-game road trip and his seventh goal in just five games since joining the club. Bump took the league lead in goals at the time and the Phantoms overcame an initial 2-0 deficit to post their first come-from-behind win of the season. David Goyette opened the scoring with his first goal as a Phantom.Aleksei Kolosov (29/32) picked up his first win of the season.
BUMP ACCOLADES – Alex Bump was recognized for his torrid goal-scoring stretch as he was named AHL Player of the Week. It is the 10th time a Lehigh Valley player has received the honor. Bump had five goals on the team’s three-game road trip while extending his goal-scoring streak to five games. Bump moved into the AHL lead for most goals and has scored a goal in every game he has played with Lehigh Valley this season. The Round 5 selection from 2022 won a National Championship at Western Michigan University before joining the Phantoms. The 22-year-old from Prior Lake, Minn. has registered 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 43 games for the Phantoms over the last two seasons, along with five goals and four assists in 20 NHL contests (including four this season) with the Flyers. Other Lehigh Valley Phantoms to win AHL Player of the Week honors include Aleksei Kolosov, Olle Lycksell (twice), Cooper Marody, Tanner Laczynski, Max Willman, Colin McDonald, Nick Cousins, and Scott Laughton.
TRANSACTIONS –
Oct 18, 2026 – Del Hunter McDonald (D) – Recalled to PHI
Oct 18, 2026 – Add Jack Studnicka (F) – Loaned to Phantoms by PHI
Oct 18, 2026 – Add Helge Grans (D) – Loaned to Phantoms by PHI
Oct 19, 2026 – Del Alex Bump (F) – Recalled to PHI
Oct 19, 2026 – Del Cole Knuble (F) – Recalled to PHI
Oct 19, 2026 – Del Jacob Gaucher (F) – Recalled to PHI
MAKING AN IMPACT – The Philadelphia Flyers have brought up five prospects from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, including four this week, and the youth infusion has helped drive the team’s win streak.
Cole Knuble made his NHL debut and became part of the first-ever father-son combo in Philadelphia Flyers’ history and then followed that up with his two career goals on Wednesday night at the Buffalo Sabres on a rebound at the net front followed by a bank off the goaltender’s skate. The fourth-round selection joined the Phantoms late last season from Notre Dame and has scored 2-5-7 in 13 career games with Lehigh Valley.
Hunter McDonald played in just his second career NHL game and his first since the season finale of the 2025-26 season and then followed that up with a massive hit and a fight against Ulf Samulsson in Buffalo on Wednesday. The hard-nosed 24-year-old prospect from Northeastern University is in his third full season of professional hockey has played in 153 career games with Lehigh Valley scoring 5-25-30.
Jacob Gaucher played at wing in the NHL for the first in his career after beginning the season on left wing with the Lehigh Valey Phantoms providing him additional versatility on such recalls. It was Gaucher’s ninth career NHL game including four last season and four games in 2024-25. The 25-year-old right-shot has played in 204 career games with the Phantoms scoring 52-46-98 and is tied for seventh all-time in Lehigh Valley history in goals scored.
Alex Bump was outstanding in his week-long stint with the Phantoms racking up seven goals in five games and racing up to the league lead while compiling a five-game goal streak. Bump has now played in 22 career games with the Flyers scoring 5-4-9 while also tallying twice in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year.
Oliver Bonk has also been a solid contributor since joining the team a week earlier racking up four assists in six games with the Flyers. Bonk played in two games with the Phantoms this season and also 46 games with Lehigh Valley last year where the first-rounder scored 6-13-19.
RETURNING – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have received center Jack Studnicka and defenseman Helge Grans from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Helge Grans, 24, has played in one game with the Flyers this season. He played in 61 games with the Phantoms last year scoring 3-11-14 and has seven career games with the Flyers.Grans has played in 298 career AHL games with Ontario and Lehigh Valley scoring 21-57-78 including 183 games with Lehigh Valley producing 12-33-45 across three seasons with the team.
Jack Studnicka, 27, has played in three games with the Flyers and three games with the Phantoms this season scoring one goal with one assist. He has played in 129 career NHL games with Boston, Vancouver, San Jose, Florida, and Philadelphia recording 6-10-16 as well as 269 AHL games with Providence, Abbotsford, San Jose, Ontario, Charlotte and Lehigh Valley, producing 70-124-194. The righty-shooting center from Windsor, ON was a Round 2 selection of the Boston Bruins in 2017.
CRUNCH TIME – Syracuse (3-4-1) has now dropped back-to-back games including a 3-2 overtime setback against Rochester on Friday and also a 5-1 blowout loss at Laval on Wednesday. Syracuse had previously won back-to-back including a 4-3 win at Hamilton on Sunday. T
Fourth-year head coach Joel Bouchard has a solid base of players from last year’s squad including former University of Michigan sniper Dylan Duke (1-5-6) who racked up 32 goals in 2025-26 and last year’s AHL scoring champ Jacob Pelletier (1-3-4) who had 28-49-77 in 2025-26 after playing for the Flyers two seasons ago.
Former Winnipeg second-rounder Jansen Harkins (1-0-1) has 306 career NHL games and spent the last two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. Former Phantoms Brendan Furry (2-2-4) and Elliot Desnoyers (0-0-0) have found a new home in central New York. Former Belleville Senators goaltender Mads Sogaaard (2-2-1, 2.45, .908) has put up strong numbers so far.
SCORING LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
x – 20 Alex Bump 7-1-8
x – 56 Jacob Gaucher 4-4-8
77 Jett Luchanko 1-5-6
44 Cam Dineen 2-3-5
x – 22 Cole Knuble 1-3-4
Syracuse
Lucas Mercuri 2-4-6
Dylan Duke 1-5-6
Nick Abruzzese 3-2-5
Brendan Furry 2-2-4
Jakob Pelletier 1-3-4
SPECIAL TEAMS
LV PP 20.8% (14th) / PK 80.0% (19th)
SYR PP 16.7% (20th) / PK 73.0% (26th)
SEASON SERIES
Syracuse Crunch: (0-0-0)
10/24/26 Home 7:05
1/2/27 Away 5:00
1/29/27 Away 7:00
1/30/27 Home 7:05
ON THE AIR – Catch the Phantoms, home and away, on the Phantoms 365 app and on Real Oldies 1470-AM, WSAN and also on FloHockey.TV.
Also available via the Listen Live link at the Phantoms website and on your Smart Speaker system at “Play Phantoms Radio 24-7.”
Bob Rotruck has the play-by-play action all season long.
Service Electric Network is the exclusive home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, providing extensive coverage of all home games. Steve Degler and Steven Swavely call the action from the booth, while Kristi Fulkerson and Dan Fremuth host pregame, intermissions, and postgame coverage, beginning with “Front and Center” live from Chickie’s and Pete’s at PPL Center.
NEXT UP –
The Phantoms will be back at PPL Center Sunday at 3:05 p.m. against the Belleville Senators on PhanCon also featuring a Postgame Skate with the players presented by NJM Insurance.
The Phantoms then travel to Rochester next Friday and return to PPL Center on Sunday, November 1 at 3:05 p.m. againt the Providence Bruins with Haunted on Hamilton including a popcorn bucket giveaway presented by Gruber.
Rochester Americans
Laval Rocket
