Let the Fur Fly!!!
December 13, 2022
Lehigh Valley, PA – Phantoms Phans will have their throwing arms ready as we prepare for the big Teddy Bear Toss game at PPL Center presented by Big Woody’s. Over 37,000 teddy bears have been donated to Valley Youth House in the annual event in which fans get to throw their teddy bears onto the ice after the Phantoms score their first goal. Come prepared and bring lots of bears!
Lehigh Valley (11-9-2) is coming off a weekend home sweep of the Charlotte Checkers.
The upcoming weekend includes a home-and-home series against the Providence Bruins (15-4-5) with a Rhode Island excursion on Friday followed by the Mighty Teddy Bear Game on Saturday. The Phantoms conclude the weekend with a Sunday rivalry tilt at Hershey. It’s a stern test for the Phantoms who are taking on the teams with the second-best and best records in the entire league.
WEEKLY RECAP
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Wolf Pack 3 – Phantoms 2
Lehigh Valley almost pulled off the big comeback at Hartford but ultimately ran out of time as the Wolf Pack hung on for a 3-2 win. Garrett Wilson and Tyson Feorwster scored in the third period for the Phantoms but Hartford’s three-goal start in the opening 12 minutes held up.
Friday, December 9, 2022
Phantoms 2 – Checkers 1
The first goal as a Phantom for Kieffer Bellows was a big one. His blast on the power play broke a 1-1 tie in the second period. Lehigh Valley held visiting Charlotte to 0-for-5 on the power play including a terrific 4-on-6 kill at the end. Artem Anisimov also scored in his first game back with the team and Sam Ersson had 29 saves and also a penalty shot denial of former Phantom Gerry Mayhew.
Saturday, December 10, 2022
Phantoms 6 – Checkers 1
Artem Anisimov enjoyed a monster four-point performance on the same day that his new contract with the Phantoms was announced. The veteran of 13 NHL seasons scored two goals and added two assists as Lehigh Valley went 3-for-7 on the power play in the team’s most lopsided win of the season. Kieffer Bellows scored for a second consecutive night and Tyson Foerster scored his eighth of the year while Olle Lycksell contributed his fifth.
The Phantoms also became the ninth team in AHL history to play 2,000 games. The Phantoms franchise began as the Philadelphia Phantoms in 1996.
TRANSACTIONS
Dec 8 – Add Egor Zamula (D) – Loaned to LV from Philadelphia (NHL)
Dec 8 – Delete Cam York (D) – Recalled to Philadelphia (NHL)
Dec 9 – Artem Anisimov (F) – Signs Standard AHL Contract with LV
SIGNED
Artem Anisimov has signed an AHL contract for the remainder of the 2022-23 season. The NHL veteran of 771 games with the New York Rangers, Chicago, Columbus and Ottawa enjoyed his opportunity on a tryout contract with the Phantoms in November and has decided to stick around for Ian Laperriere’s group. Anisimov has scored five goals in four home games with the Phantoms including two goals and two assists on Saturday against Charlotte. His last season in the AHL was in 2008-09 at 21 years old when he scored 37 goals with Hartford and represented the Wolf Pack at the AHL All-Star Classic.
TEDDY BEAR HISTORY!
Phantoms Phans have donated 37,428 total stuffed animals and teddy bears to our friends at Valley Youth House in past Teddy Bear Toss games.
2014: 1,728
2015: 2,773
2016: 4,125
2017: 4,970
2018: 7,148
2019: 10,091
2022: 6,593
Who will join our select list of Phantoms Teddy Bear Toss Goal Scorers?
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
PHANTASTIC!
– The Phantoms power play is 11/25, 44% over the last seven games and is 26.2% overall for 5th in the AHL.
– Tyson Foerster is on a 4-game point streak (3-3-6) and has scored 6-5-11 in the last 11 games.
– Kieffer Bellows is on a four-game point streak since joining the Phantoms and has scored a goal in each of his home games with his new tea,
– Artem Anisimov in four home games has scored 5-3-8
– Elliot Desnoyers is tied for third among AHL rookies with 9 goals and also leads the Phantoms in lamplighters
– Olle Lycksell is averaging two points per game when Anisimov is also in the lineup: 5 games, 3-7-10.
– The Phantoms are 7-2-2 in one-goal games. Lehigh Valley is 7-0-2 when leading after two periods.
– The Phantoms are 3-2 in decisions after regulation having gone 2-1 in overtime and 1-1 in shootouts.
UPCOMING
Friday, December 17 and Saturday, December 18
Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence and PPL Center in Allentown
Phantoms vs. Providence Bruins
The Phantoms tangle with Providence (15-4-5) on back-to-back nights with a Friday night matchup in New England followed by a Saturday rematch at PPL Center on our annual Teddy Bear Toss Night.
The Bruins have the second-best record in the AHL behind only Hershey and are tied for the fewest regulation losses in the league with Coachella Valley (12-4-2).
Lehigh Valley swept a pair of games at Providence on November 18-19 by scores of 4-2 and 3-2 in a shootout. Isaac Ratcliffe posted a two-goal performance in the Friday game and then Tanner Laczynski had a goal and a shootout winner in the Saturday contest.
The P-Bruins have gone 5-2-0 in their last seven following a four-game winless slide (0-1-3).
Providence has some talented rookies including Luke Toporowski (9-9-18), Fabian Lysell (7-10-17) and Georgii Merkulov (5-11-16). Goaltender Brandon Bussi leads the AHL with a .932 save percentage.
Sunday, December 20 (5:00)
GIANT Center, Hershey, PA
Phantoms at Hershey Bears
Hershey (17-5-3) is tops in the AHL and is on a four-game point streak (3-0-1) following as 6-5 shootout loss to Cleveland on Sunday. Hershey has just one regulation loss in its last 10 games (8-1-1). The Bears have been fantastic on home ice at 11-2-2. The Bears lead the Conference in goals allowed (2.42/gm) and are tops in the AHL in shots allowed (25.9/gm). Former Phantom Mike Vecchione (10-11-21) paces the offense and has scored 2-2-4 against his ex-team. First-rounder Hendrix Lapierre also has two goals against the Phantoms. Hunter Sheppard (1.83 GAA) leads the AHL but has since been recalled to Washington. Hershey leads the season series 3-0 including a 4-2 win on November 30 at PPL Center.
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Tyson Foerster 8-10-18
Olle Lycksell 5-11-16
x Cam York 3-10-13
Elliot Desnoyers 9-3-12
Garrett Wilson 5-7-12
Phantoms Tickets are available HERE
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Friday, December 16 (7:05) at Providence Bruins
Saturday, December 17 (7:05) vs. PROVIDENCE BRUINS
Sunday, December 18 (5:00) at Hershey Bears
Wednesday, December 21 (7:05) vs. HERSHEY BEARS
Friday, December 23 (7:05) at Springfield Thunderbirds
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Saturday, December 17 (7:05) vs. Providence Bruins – Teddy Bear Toss Presented by Big Woody’s
Wednesday, December 21 (7:05) vs. Hershey Bears – Pregame Happy Hour, $2 Miller Lites and Yuenglings
Saturday, December 31 (7:05) vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – New Year’s Eve Celebration presented by Penn Community Bank. Including festivities after the game right outside the arena to ring in 2023
Broadcast coverage of all Phantoms games, home and away, is available on the Phantoms 365 app and on Real Oldies 1470-AM in Allentown. Fans can watch on AHLTV.com and can listen on their Smart Speakers at: “Play Phantoms Radio 24/7.” Join the Voice of the Phantoms, Bob Rotruck, for all the action!
Service Electric Network again provides exclusive television coverage of all Phantoms home games with veteran announcer Steve Degler and Phantoms’ alum Steven Swavely on the call from the booth. Kristi Fulkerson reports from ice level and also from the Chickie’s and Pete’s studio with Dan Fremuth for pregame, intermission and postgame show analysis.
