PREVIEW: Phantoms at Laval Rocket, Game 8
Goals by Period
Shots by Period
Goal Scorers
Goaltenders
Three Stars
Tangle with Montreal Affiliate
TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (4-2-1) are in Laval, Quebec to take on the Laval Rocket (4-3-0), AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. This is the eighth game of the season and also Game 2 of a five-game road trip for the Orange and Black. Tonight is also Lehigh Valley’s first trip to Canada.
Lehigh Valley is 3-0-0 against the North Division with wins against the Belleville Senators and Cleveland Monsters.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for tonight’s game at www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME – The Phantoms finished a three-point weekend but just missed out on picking up a sweep in the home-and-home series as the Bears hung on for a 4-3 decision on Saturday night at Giant Center in Hershey. Carl Grundstrom (1st) scored just 1:02 into the game and then Helge Grans (2nd) and Garrett Wilson (1st) rocked home second-period markers off Tucker Robertson feeds to give Lehigh Valley a 3-2 lead on the road. But Spencer Smallman tied it for the Bears in the third and Ilya Protas delivered the shootout winner past Carson Bjarnason (22/25) for the extra standings point as Lehigh Valley went 1-0-1 against its Chocolatetown rivals.
TRANSACTIONS –
Oct 27, 2025 – Sawyer Boulton (F) – Loaned to Reading
Oct 28, 2025 – Emil Andrae (D) – Recalled by Flyers
Oct 28, 2025 – Ben Meehan (D) – Recalled by Phantoms from Reading
FRENCH CONNECTION – Tonight’s game is special for Lehigh Valley’s trio of Quebecois products: Alexis Gendron, Jacob Gaucher and Anthony Richard. The local kids will have several family and friends in attendance at tonight’s game cheering them on. In recent games, they have also developed even further chemistry while playing on the same line together! Gendron and Gaucher both scored ther first goals of the season last week. Richard sat out for a couple of games over the weekend but could return to the lineup tonight.
Anthony Richard even played for the Laval Rocket in the 2022-23 season scoring 30 goals.
Alexis Gendron is from Coteau Du Lac, Quebec on the other side of Montreal and played his Major Juniors hockey at nearby Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Gendron’s father, Martin Gendron, is a Quebec-based scout for the Philadelphia Flyers and was a speedy goal-scorer in his time including three seasons scoring 33 or more goals in the AHL with the Portland Pirates and Fredericton Canadiens.
Jacob Gaucher is from Longquil, Quebec just east of Montreal and played his Major Juniors with Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Val d’Or Foreurs.Jacob Gaucher’s father is Yannick Gaucher who is the General Manager of the QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Gaucher’s younger brother, Nathan Gaucher, was a first-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks and has played two seasons in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls.
ROAD WARRIORS – The Phantoms will play five straight on the road beginning tonight as they had to Hershey, Laval, Hartford and Bridgeport. The Phantoms are in the early stages of a busy road-stretch that has the team playing eight out of nine away from PPL Center.
MILESTONES –
– Zayde Wisdom, 198 games with Phantoms
– Carl Grundstrom 398 pro games
– Garrett Wilson, 891 pro games
– Garrett Wilson, 293 games with Phantoms
BONJOUR ET BIENVENUE À LAVAL! – The defending Kilpatrick Trophy winners are 4-3-0 to start the 2025-26 season. Pascal Vincent was named Coach of the Year in the AHL (Pieri Memorial Award) leading Laval to a 48-19-5 mark. Veteran sniper Laurent Dauphin (3-4-7) scored 26-30-56. Third-year pro Jared Davidson (4-1-5) was a round 5 selection in 2022 and scored two goals in their Saturday win over Utica to end a quick two-game losing slide. 21-year-old center Owen Beck (1-2-3) was the #33 overall selection in 2022 and had 15-29-44 last year. 29-year-old Kaapo Kahkonen (2-1-0, 2.67, .906) brings 140 games of NHL experience betwen the pipes mostly with Minnesota and San Jose. He joined Charlotte midway through last season and was critical in the Checkers’ run to the Calder Cup Finals. Forward Filip Mesar (1-2-3) was a 2022 first-rounder.
The Phantoms went 2-0-0 against the top team in the AHL including an impressive 3-1 win north of the border March 29, 2025 and a 4-3 squeaker at PPL Center on November 30, 2024
SCORING LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Karsen Dorwart 3-2-5
Garrett Wilson 1-4-5
x – Emil Andrae 0-5-5
Deviln Kaplan 2-2-4
Anthony Richard 2-2-4
Helge Grans 2-2-4
Tucker Robertson 1-3-4
Alexis Gendron 1-3-4
Laval
Laurent Dauphin 3-4-7
Sean Farrell 2-4-6
Jared Davidson 4-1-5
Alex Belzile 2-3-5
x – Joshua Roy 3-1-4
SPECIAL TEAMS
LV PP 26.1% 6th / PK 77.1%, 23rd
LAV PP 16.7%, 19th / PK 78.1%, 22nd
UP NEXT – The Phantoms are on the road for five straight. Following tonight’s contest comes a pair of games at the Hartford Wolf Pack this weekend and then a road-trip finale at the Bridgeport Islanders. Lehigh Valley’s next home game is Saturday, November 8 against the Toronto Marlies on Phantoms Ballcap Night presented by Service Electric Network and also including a Postgame Skate with the Phantoms players presented by NJM Insurance.
Hartford Wolf Pack
Hartford Wolf Pack
Bridgeport Islanders
