Flyers Loan Joel Farabee to Phantoms and Recall Alex Lyon

Felix Sandstrom Assigned to Lehigh Valley

January 15, 2020

Lehigh Valley, Pa. – The Philadelphia Flyers have announced today that they have loaned forward Joel Farabee to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and recalled goaltender Alex Lyon. In addition, goaltender Felix Sandstrom has been reassigned to Lehigh Valley from the Reading Royals.

Farabee, 19, is playing in his first full season of professional hockey and has played in four games for Lehigh Valley this season and has tallied three goals and one assist. He made his pro debut on October 11, 2019 and scored a highlight reel goal against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Farabee has notched a point in every game he’s played for the Phantoms. He was recalled by the Flyers on October 20 and made his NHL debut October 21 against the Vegas Golden Knights. Farabee has played 37 games for Philadelphia this season and has registered three goals and nine assists for 12 points and 37 penalty minutes.

A native of Cicero, New York, Farabee was drafted in the first round (#18 overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. Prior to turning pro, he played a year of college hockey for the University of Boston. In 37 games for the Terriers during their 2018-19 season, He totaled 36 points including 17 goals and 19 assists. Farabee also spent time on the U.S National Development Team where he was a part of a gold medal winning team at the 2017 World U18 Championships in Slovakia. He was also a part of two silver medal winning teams at the 2018 World U18 Championships in Russia and the 2019 World Junior Championships in Canada.

Lyon, 27, is currently in his fourth season with the organization and currently ranks 11th in the American Hockey League with a 0.916 save percentage through 22 games with the Phantoms. He is tied for 15th in the AHL with a 2.56 goals against average. He is coming off a 37-save shutout on January 11 against the Laval Rocket.

A native of Baudette, Minnesota, Lyon has played 136 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the most of any goaltender. He also ranks first in Lehigh Valley history with 71 wins, 3790 career saves and six shutouts. His 71 wins are tied for the rthird most in Phantoms overall franchise history. Lyon’s signature performance with Lehigh Valley came on May 9, 2018 when he stopped 94 of 95 shots by the Charlotte Checkers to lead the Phantoms to a 2-1 win in a five overtime game during the Calder Cup Playoffs. Lyon was named the Phantoms 2018-19 IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year for his outstanding contributions to the community.

This marks the first NHL recall of the season for Lyon after he played 11 games in 2017-18 and 2 games last season. He made his NHL debut on January 31, 2018 against the Washington Capitals in a relief appearance and later earned his first NHL win on February 18, 2018 against the New York Rangers. In 13 NHL appearances he has amassed a 4-3-1 record with a 3.05 GAA and 0.894 save percentage. Prior to signing with the Flyers as a free agent, Lyon played 3 seasons at Yale University where he was a two-time NCAA All-American, two-time ECAC Goaltender of the Year, and a 2015-16 Hobey Baker Award finalist.

Sandstrom, 23, is in his first full season in North America and has played 15 games for the Reading Royals this year. He has posted a 6-9 record with a 3.78 GAA and  0.877 save percentage along with two shutouts in the ECHL. Sandstrom appeared in one game for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season when he made his North American debut on April 12, 2019 in Providence and made 40 saves in 4-3 win against Bruins.

A native of Gavle, Sweden, Sandstrom was drafted in the third round (#70) of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. He spent the last five seasons in the Swedish Hockey League, spending time with Brynas IF from 2014-2017 and then playing 2017-19 with HV71. This past season he appeared in 19 games for HV71 going 10-8 with a 2.16 goals-against average and 0.910 save percentage. Sandtrom was the starting netminder for Sweden in the 2016 and 2017 World Junior Championships. in 2017, he led Sweden to a fourth place finish with a 5-1-1 record and was named the WJC Best Goaltender, beating out Flyers goalie Carter Hart. Sandstrom signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Flyers on March 27, 2018.

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