Phantoms Weekly
Back-to-Back at Home This Weekend
November 9, 2026
Allentown, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms return to PPL Center this weekend for consecutive home games and more big promos. Friday is a rematch against the Hamilton Hammers is our Friday the 13th theme plus free Berks hot dogs for the kids. Saturday against the Charlotte Checkers in our Hockey is for Everyone Night plus a celebration of the Hockey Romance novel craze. The Phantoms will wrap up the weekend on the road with a Sunday evening rivalry clash at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Lehigh Valley (5-7-1) is returning home following a 1-2-0 record on the team’s recent three-game Canadian road-trip last week.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for upcoming games here: https://www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST WEEK
Wednesday, November 4 – Phantoms 5 at Laval Rocket 4 (OT)
Friday, November 6 – Phantoms 1 at Belleville Senators 3
Saturday, November 7 – Phantoms 3 at Hamilton Hammers 6
THE WEEK AHEAD
Friday, November 13 (7:05) – Phantoms vs. Hamilton Hammers (NYI)
Saturday, November 14 (7:05) – Phantoms vs. Charlotte Checkers (FLA)
Sunday, November 15 (6:05) – Phantoms at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)
WEEKLY RECAP
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Lehigh Valley Phantoms 5 at Laval Rocket 4 (OT)
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms rallied from behind three times to take an exciting overtime win at the first-place Laval Rocket, 5-4, on Wednesday night in the opener of the team’s three-game Canadian road-swing. Zayde Wisdom (3rd) blasted home his first career overtime goal while Alex Bump (8th) extended his goal streak to a Lehigh Valley record six games in a row with his power-play crank in the third that gave Lehigh Valley its first lead of the night. Spencer Gill scored from the point in the third period for his first career pro goal while Zach Aston-Reese (2nd) and Noah Powell (2nd) both converted on their chances in the second period pulling the Phantoms to even both times. Filip Mesar led the Rocket with a pair of goals.
Friday, November 6, 2026
Lehigh Valley Phantoms 1 at Belleville Senators 3
Jacob Gaucher (5th) reached 100 career points with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms while moving into sole possession of seventh place on the team’s all-time goals list, but the Phantoms fell 3-1 to the Belleville Senators on Friday night at CIBC Place despite equaling a season-high with 35 shots on goal. But Belleville’s Jackson Parsons was up to the task in a sensational performance including five denials of Alex Bump among his 34 total saves. Bump’s goal streak ended at six games. Gaucher evened the score at 3-1 just 18 seconds into the third period, recording the 100th point of his Lehigh Valley career. But that was all for the Phantoms. Belleville pushed back in front at 8:33 of the third when Xavier Bourgault (4th) restored the Senators’ lead, finishing a play assisted by Oskar Pettersson and Philippe Daoust. Just 53 seconds later, Lucas Ellinas (1st) picked off a puck at center and added an unassisted tally to make it 3-1 successfully converting on his odd-man rush.
Saturday, November 7, 2026
Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3 at Hamilton Hammers 6
Lehigh Valley blasted away for 36 shots on goal, a new season high, but Josh Kotai was ready and the Hamilton Hammers took advantage of their opportunities in a 6-3 victory on Saturday at TD Coliseum. Danila Klimovich (1st), Alex Bump (9th) and Alex Ciernik (2nd) all scored for the Orange and Black who finished their three-game Canadian road trip with a 1-2-0 record. Hamilton scored a pair of shorthanded goals in the first period from veterans Liam Foudy (5th) and Pierre Engvall (4th) and then distanced themselves late in the second with back-to-back markers in transition by Antonio Stranges (1st) and MattLuff (3rd). Lehigh Valley had surrendered just one shorthanded goal all season before the Hammers zipped up ice for a pair of shorties in a single period.
CONGRATS GAUCH! – We are excited to welcome the newest member of Phan Nation, the super-adorable Beckam Gaucher. And congratulations to the Gaucher Family!
MILESTONES –
Jacob Gaucher – 100 Points with Phantoms! (Nov 6, 2026 at Belleville)
Zack Aston-Reese – 198 Pro Points
Zayde Wisdom – 98 Pro Points
Cam Dineen – 395 AHL Games
John Snowden – 98 Pro Coaching Wins
BUMP IT UP – Alex Bump tied the all-time Lehigh Valley record with his six-game goal streak which came to an end on Friday at Belleville. Bump picked up again on Saturday with another goal at the Hamilton Hammers and now has nine goals in just seven games across his two stints with the Phantoms this season. Bump was named AHL Player of the Week for his five-goal road trip in three games at Hartford and Springfield in mid-October.
Lehigh Valley Record Book
Goal Streak
Alex Bump – 6 (Oct 14 2026 – Nov 4 2026)
Danick Martel – 6 (Oct 27, 2017 – Nov 8, 2017)
Petr Straka – 6 (Nov 11, 2015 – Nov 22, 2015)
Phantoms Franchise Record Book
Goal Streak
Mike Maneluk – 7 (Feb 21, 2000 – Mar 4, 2000)
Shawn McCosh – 7 (Nov 24, 1996 – Dec 11, 1996)
KLIMOVICH RETURNS – Forward Danila Klimovich was back in the lineup following a nearly month-long absence after an injury in Lehigh Valley’s game on October 11. The hard-shooting winger was immediately noticeable in his return last Wednesday at Laval and his hard work paid off in the form of his first goal of the season on Saturday at Hamilton. The 23-year-old played five seasons for the Abbotsford Canucks where he showed off his elite-level shot racking up 70 goals including a team-leading 25 goals in the 2024-25 season helping propel the team to the Calder Cup. Originally a second-rounder of Vancouver in 2021, Klimovich came to the AHL at only 18 years old and was the youngest player in the league at the time. Klimovich is still a fairly young prospect at just 23 years old even though he is an experienced forward in his sixth season of professional hockey.
UPCOMING –
Friday, November 13 (7:05)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. Hamilton Hammers
Hamilton (4-9-2) ended a four-game losing slide on Saturday against the Phantoms but5 still are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The Hammers visit Hershey on Wednesday before the team’s rematch with the Phantoms on Friday. Augustana University product Josh Kotai had 33 saves on 36 shots in dispatching the Phantoms 6-3 on Saturday in Hamilton. Hamilton captain Matthew Highmore (4-2-6) scored the overtime winner in a 5-4 victory over Hartford on October 29. NHL veteran Robby Fabbri signed a PTO with the Hammers last week. The long-time member of the St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings has played in 463 career NHL games scoring 108 goals. The Hammers are coached by former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jay McKee, who played 802 NHL games and guided the Brantford Bulldogs to the best record in the OHL last season. Former Columbus first-rounder Liam Foudy (5-8-13) leads Hamilton in scoring after collecting 26 goals with Bridgeport last season. 2024 first-rounder Cole Eiserman (2-4-6), a Boston University product who scored a record 127 goals in 119 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program, missed last week’s matchup due to injury. Rookie defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, selected 17th overall in 2025, scored 28 goals last season with the Barrie Colts. Veteran Pierre Engvall (4-7-11) scored one of two shorthanded goals against the Phantoms on Saturday as he returns after missing all of last season due to injury while former NHL defenseman Ethan Bear (2-5-7) adds experience on the blue line. Goaltender Vitek Vanecek has more than 300 games of NHL experience with Washington, New Jersey, San Jose, Florida and Utah.
Saturday, November 14 (7:05)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. Charlotte Checkers
Charlotte (8-5-1) is licking its wounds after the Checkers were swept by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in North Carolina last week. The Checkers are clinging to the top spot in the Atlantic Division but the second-place Penguins and third-place Hershey Bears both have a better points percentage due to games-in-hand. 21-year-old second-rounder Gracyn Sawchyn (4-6-10) from the Edmontol Oil Kings is tops among active players on the Checkers following the recall of University of Denver seventh-rounder Jack Devine (9-3-12) to the Panthers. NHL veteran defenseman Alexander Petrovic has played 323 career NHL games primarily with Florida and Dallas and was longtime teammates with Garrett Wilson when both players were coming with the AHL’s San Anotnio Rampage and Florida Panthers. 27-year-old addition Angus Crookshank (1-6-7) has scored 20 or more goals in four straight seasons with Utica and Belleville. Geordie Kinnear is the longest-tenured coach in the AHL in his 10th season with the Panthers’ affiliate in Charlotte and previously Springfield.
Sunday, November 15 (6:05)
Mohegan Arena, Wilkes-Barre, PA
Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Kirk McDonald’s contingent is getting it going after a two-game weekend sweep at Charlotte last weekend. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (7-4-1) has won three straight and has the best points percentage in the Atlantic Division. Last year, the Penguins went 46-17-7 for 101 points while advancing to the Eastern Conference finals before falling to Toronto. Winnipeg first-rounder Rutger McGroaty (6-6-12) has been recalled again by Pittsburgh. University of North Dakota standout Jake Livanavage (3-8-11) is having a strong rookie season and scored the overtime winner at Charlotte in the Penguins’ come-from-behind rally. First-rounder Bill Zonnon (5-2-7) immediately impressed when he joined Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s playoff run last year arriving from Blainville-Boisbriand where he was teammates with Lehigh Valley’s Spencer Gill. First-rounder Owen Pickering (2-2-4) is in his third pro season on the blueline while second-rounder from South Africa, Harrison Brunicke, is another 20-year-old just getting started in his pro career. Tristan Broz (3-5-8) is in his third pro season and scored 19 goals and 16 goals in his first two seasons, including 12 totals goals against the Phantoms in the regular season and postseason. Taylor Gauthier (5-1-0, 2.16, .934) has been sensational in net while former AHL All-Star Joel Blomqvist (2-3-1, 3.01, .874) is seeking better consistency.
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Alex Bump 9-1-10
Jacob Gaucher 5-5-10
Jack Studnicka 3-5-8
Spencer Gill 1-6-7
Cam Dineen 2-4-6
Jett Luchanko 1-5-6
Atlantic Division Standings:
1. Charlotte 8-5-1 = 17
2. Hershey 8-5-0 = 16
3. W-B/Scranton 7-4-1 = 15
4. Hartford 7-8-1 = 15
5. Providence 6-7-0 = 12
6. Lehigh Valley 5-7-1 = 11
7. Springfield 4-5-3 = 11
NEXT UP –
The Phantoms return to PPL Center for their special Friday the 13th promotion against the Hamilton Hammers and are also at home on Saturday, November 14th against the Charlotte Checkers on Hockey is for Everyone Night. The Phantoms conclude the weekend with a Sunday evening road clash at the rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
