Bunnaman and Ustimenko Return. D’Aoust and Sakellaropoulos Released
February 23, 2022
Lehigh Valley, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have announced the following roster moves:
- Forward Connor Bunnaman and goalie Kirill Ustimenko have been returned to the Phantoms on loan from the Philadelphia Flyers
- Forward Alexis D’Aoust and goalie Alex Sakellaropoulos have been released from their professional try outs
Bunnaman, 23, has scored six goals with three assists in 30 games with the Phantoms this season. The fourth-round selection of the Flyers in 2016 out of the Kitchener Rangers has played in 54 career games with the Flyers recording one goal with two assists which includes 15 games with Philadelphia this year. In his AHL career, the Guelph, Ontario native have played in 135 career games with the Phantoms through four seasons scoring 32 goals with 20 assists for 52 points.
Ustimenko, 23, performed well last weekend after being pressed into relief duty on Saturday. He made 20 saves on 21 shots against Utica to earn a standings point and finished that up with a 30-save game against Springfield. On the weekend, he finished witha 1.66 goals-against average and .942 save percentage. Ustimenko is 0-3-1, 2.66, .914 with the Phantoms this season. He was recalled to the Flyers on an emergency basis for the games on Monday and Tuesday and dressed as the backup goalie.
D’Aoust, 25, returns to the Trois-Rivieres Lions of the ECHL. He played three games for the Phantoms recording zero points. It was his third quick stint with an AHL team this season including stays with Belleville and Providence.
Sakellaropoulos, 27, returns to the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL. He was on the Phantoms’ roster for one day and did not appear in any games.
The Phantoms open a three-game road swing tonight at the rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The team then plays a pair of games at the Cleveland Monsters on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
