Teddy Bear Aftermath! Homestand Continues
December 12, 2023
Allentown, PA – Following an incredible Teddy Bear Toss game with an all-time Phantoms record of 10,869 stuffed animals, Lehigh Valley (10-9-4) looks to continue momentum into the final three games of the team’s homestand at PPL Center. The Phantoms rematch with the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday as part of Military Appreciation Night presented by Netizen. Next up is a Friday showdown with the Laval Rocket, AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. The homestand concludes on Saturday when “Los Fantasmas” take on the Springfield Thunderbirds in a special Hockey Fiesta game featuring English and Spanish presentation throughout the night
WEEKLY RECAP
Friday, December 8, 2023
Bruins 2 – Phantoms 0
Lehigh Valley’s comeback efforts in the third period were not enough as Michael DiPietro of Providence hung on for a 2-0 shutout. Felix Sandstrom was terrific in net for the Phantoms, including several spectacular saves in the first period. But the P-Bruins benefitted with a pair of power-play goals. Lehigh Valley had two late power plays in the third period, including one with a pulled goalie for a 6-on-4, but weren’t able to capitalize.
Saturday, December 9, 2023
Phantoms 4 – Checkers 1
It was Bear-a-Palooza at PPL Center when Zayde Wisdom scored 6:36 into the game to bring about an avalanche of teddy bears and stuffed animals on the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss Night. In total, it was a Lehigh Valley record 10,869 teddy bears which were collected and donated to our friends at Valley Youth House. Wade Allison, Jordy Bellerive and Elliot Desnoyers also scored in the victory against Charlotte while Cal Petersen was tremendous with 36 saves.
IT’S A RECORD!
Phantoms Phans donated 10,869 teddy bears at Saturday’s game breaking the team’s former record of 10,091 teddy bears in 2019. Zayde Wisdom’s goal was assisted by Mason Millman and Ethan Samson and all three players personally delivered the teddy bears to our friends at Valley Youth House on Monday. During the nine years that the Phantoms have held a Teddy bear Toss, over 56,000 teddy bears have been collected and donated for distribution throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Phantoms Teddy Bear Goal Scorer:2014: Brett Hextall
2015: Andrew MacDonald
2016: Nic Aube-Kubel (:59 into the game)
2017: Matt Read
2018: Connor Bunnaman
2019: Chris Bigras
2021: Gerry Mayhew
2022: Cooper Marody
2023: Zayde Wisdom
2014: 1,728
2015: 2,773
2016: 4,125
2017: 4,970
2018: 7,148
2019: 10,091
2021: 6,593
2022: 8,480
2023: 10,869
Total: 56,677
POWER UP!
Lehigh Valley’s power play is third in the AHL at 23.6% and the team’s 10 total power-play markers is second-most in the league. The Phantoms also had a nine-game streak with a power-play goal going 12-for-30 (40.0%) in that stretch and currently have a power-play goal in 10 of the last 11 games going 13-for-40 (32.5%) since November 12.
Olle Lycksell, currently up with Philadelphia, is tied for the league-lead in power-play points with 12 and had been leading the AHL in power-play goals with six but now is one off the league lead.
Tanner Laczynski (3-5-8), Cooper Marody (2-7-9), Samu Tuomaala (3-5-8), J.R. Avon (2-1-3) and Wade Allison (2-1-3) also have multiple power-play goals.
PHANTASTIC
- The Phantoms are:
6-1-3 when scoring first
9-1-2 when scoring three or more goals
9-0-0 when leading after two periods
8-2-2 when allowing three goals or fewer
UPCOMING
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 (7:05 p.m.)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Phantoms vs Charlotte Checkers
Lehigh Valley and Charlotte (11-10-0) rematch at PPL Center on Wednesday following a Phantoms 4-1 at PPL Center on Saturday in the first game of the season series. The Checkers are 2-1-0 on their current road-trip with an impressive 6-1 win at Rochester on Friday and a 3-1 triumph at first-place Hershey on Sunday.
The AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers is led by hard-shooting defenseman Lucas Carlsson (8-11-19) who scored the double-overtime goal in Game 2 of the Calder Cup Playoffs against the Phantoms last year. Carlsson was also second-team All-AHL scoring 20-34-54 in 61 games finishing tied for first among blueliners in goals and second in points.
Rookie first-rounder Mackie Samoskevich (5-7-12) has already scored a gigantic goal at PPL Center with his overtime winner for the University of Michigan against Penn State in the NCAA Regional Final in Allentown last March. He sat out Saturday’s game at PPL Center but bounced back to score two goals on Sunday at Hershey.
Former Phantom Gerry Mayhew (4-9-13) is in his second season with the Checkers after splitting time between the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2021-22. He scored nine goals in 24 games in his time with Lehigh Valley.
Friday, December 15, 2023 (7:05 p.m.)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Phantoms vs Laval Rocket
The AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens is looking to climb out of the cellar of the North Division. Laval (6-12-5) finally snapped a nine-game winless skid with a 5-1 blowout of Hartford last Saturday. The Phantoms bested the Rocket 3-2 on November 17 in Quebec to begin the team’s spiral. Tanner Laczynski had one goal and two assists in that game while Olle Lycksell scored twice. Laval broke Cal Petersen’s shutout bid with a pair of 6-on-4 goals in the final 2:30 of the game. Former Devils prospect randon Gignac (7-15-22) leads the offense and fifth-rounder Joshua Roy (8-12-20) is having a strong rookie season as his first-rounder Logan Mailloux (4-9-13). With a pair of rookie goalies, Strauss Mann and Jakub Dobes, the Rocket allow 4.1 goals per game, second worst in the AHL.
Saturday, December 16, 2023 (7:05 p.m.)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Phantoms vs Springfield Thunderbirds
The dangerous Springfield Thunderbirds (12-8-2) carry a four-game point streak into the week ahead of their Saturday arrival in Allentown. Nathan Walker (11-14-25) and Adam Gaudette (13-10-23) pace a potentent offense. Walker is third in the AHL in points while Gaudette is second in goals. Gaudette has scored hfive of his goals against Lehigh Valley.
The Phantoms are 2-1-1 against the T-Birds this season including a 3-2 win on October 22 in Springfield’s lone visit to PPL Center. The AHL affiliate of the St. Blues gives up just 2.68 goals per game which is second-best in the Eastern Conference and fifth in the AHL as the goaltending combo of veteran Malcolm Subban (4-5-2, 2.47, .917) and young prospect Vadim Zherenko (8-3-0, 2.63, .924) have been strong. Olle Lycksell (4-1-5), Elliot Desnoyers (1-3-4) and Samu Tuomaala (0-4-4) are among the PHantosm leading scorers in the season series.
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Olle Lycksell 12-7-19
Samu Tuomaala 5-14-19
Tanner Laczynski 6-12-18
Cooper Marody 5-12-17
Garrett Wilson 5-8-13
Phantoms Tickets are available HERE
UPCOMING
Wednesday, December 13 (7:05) – Charlotte Checkers at Lehigh Valley Phantoms – Military Appreciation Night
Friday, December 15 (7:05) – Laval Rocket at Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Saturday, December 16 (7:05) – Springfield Thunderbirds at Lehigh Valley Phantoms – Hispanic Heritage Night, Los Fantasmas!!
Thursday, December 21 (7:00) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Charlotte Checkers
Friday, December 22 (6:00) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Charlotte Checkers
