Phantoms Return for Three-Game Homestand
April 12, 2022
Lehigh Valley, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms return to PPL Center for a three-game homestand against Hershey, Bridgeport and Providence.
The Phantoms are on a five-game home winning streak.
Lehigh Valley (26-30-11) has 9 games remaining in the regular season.
Weekly Recap
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3 – Phantoms 1
Hayden Hodgson scored his 19th of the year in his first game back with the Phantoms to break Louis Domingue’s shutout bid with 5:30 left and to pull the Phantoms to within a goal but Jonathan Gruden sealed the game in Wilkes-Barre with an empty-netter. Gruden had scored a shorthanded goal in the second period that held up as the game-winner.
Friday, April 8, 2022
Phantoms 4 – Hershey Bears 1
Wade Allison broke a 1-1 tie with an incredible goal from his knees with only one hand and the Phantoms pulled away from there for a 4-1 victory at PPL Center. Isaac Ratcliffe scored his third goal of the week while Tanner Laczynski and Cal O’Reilly also tallied. Adam Clendening registered a pair of assists including an impressive stretch-pass conection on Allison’s game-winner. Felix Sandstrom was very strong in a 31-save performance
Sunday, April 10, 2022
Bridgeport Islanders 4 – Phantoms 2
The Phantoms cranked up a season-high 44 shots on goal but former NHL All-Star Cory Schneider was too good between the Islanders’ pipes with 42 saves in a matinee decision in Connecticut. Lehigh Valley also hit the post four times including an open backdoor opportunity at an open net for Wade Allison. Adam Johnson broke the shutout with 5:30 left and the Phantoms had a late power play with a chance to tie but instead surrendered a power-play goal by Kyle MacLean that proved decisive. Garrett Wilson’s 16th of the year with 36 seconds left again pulled the Phantoms to within a goal but Simon Holmstrom’s empty-netter finished the scoring.
Monday, April 11, 2022
Providence Bruins 2 – Phantoms 1
The Phantoms limited Providence to just 22 shots on goal but Lehigh Valley only broke through one time against the AHL’s top goalie this year, Troy Grosenick, in a Monday night setback in Rhode Island. Maksim Sushko gave the Phantoms the early lead to open the second period with his eighth goal of the year. Lehigh Valley had a frustrating night on the power play going 0-for-6.
Upcoming
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 (7:05) (PPL Center)
Phantoms vs. Hershey Bears
Hershey (33-27-9) bounced back from a Friday night loss in Allentown to post consecutive wins against formerly first-place Springfield on Saturday and Sunday. Mason Morelli had a pair of goals in the Sunday finale including the overtime winner. The Bears are 0-5 at PPL Center this season. Lehigh Valley is 6-4-1 against Hershey in the season series. Cal O’Reilly has 6 goals against Hershey this season including three shorthanded tallies. Feix Sandstrom is 5-3-0, 2.39, .921 against the Bears. Hershey’s power play has been held to just 3-for-43 (7.0%) by the stingy Phantoms’ penalty kill but Lehigh Valley man advantage is just 4-for-36 (11.1%) in the rivalry series.
Friday, April 15, 2022 (7:05) (PPL Center)
Phantoms vs. Bridgeport Islanders
Bridgeport (29-28-11) is led by AHL veteran Chris Terry who had his recent six-game goal streak snapped. Terry has scored 28-26-54. Phantoms’ alum Andy Andreoff is third on the B-Isles with 17-23-40 including a goal on Sunday against the Phantoms. Popular former Phantom Cole Bardreau has scored 13-11-24 including three shorthanded goals but has been out recently with an injury. The Phantoms are 2-3-0 against Bridgeport entering the last game of the season series. NHL veteran of over 400 games Cory Schneider is 3-0-0, 1.33, .957 against the Phantoms. Head coach Brent Thompson is the father of Buffalo Sabres’ first-rounder Tage Thompson and New Jersey Devils’ prospect Tyce Thompson.
Saturday, April 16, 2022 (7:05) (PPL Center)
Phantoms vs. Providence Bruins
Providence (33-20-10) rates third in the Atlantic after some inconsistent play in March and April. Zach Senyshyn and John Moore have been traded as well as Urko Vaakanainen while Jack Studnicka has been recalled affecting the Bruins’ roster. Troy Grosenick is the top goalie in the AHL with a 2.02 goals-against average and .931 save percentage along with his 16-5-4 record. He made 31 saves on 32 shots this past Monday to hold off the Phantoms 2-1. The P-Bruins’ defense is tops in the conference and second in the AHL allowing 2.65 goals per game and their penalty kill is second-best in the conference (behind Charlotte) at 83.6%.
Transactions
– Apr 9 Hayden Hodgson (F) Recalled to Philadelphia
– Apr 10 Hayden Hodgson (F) Returned to Phantoms from Philadelphia
PHANTASTIC!
– Newcomer Adam Karashik made his pro debut on Sunday at Bridgeport. The defenseman is a former captain at Notre Dame and previously played four seasons at UConn before his graduate-transfer season.
– The Phantoms are on a five-game home win streak at PPL Center. Lehigh Valley’s streak dates back to March 11.
– The Phantoms are 16-1-1 when scoring four or more goals. The Phantoms are 16-2-3 when leading at the second intermission.
– Wade Allison has nine goals in just 19 games this season. The energetic and popular forward has missed significant time with three different injuries this season.
– Five Phantoms players have made their NHL debuts this season: Max Willman, Felix Sandstrom, Linus Sandin, Isaac Ratcliffe, Hayden Hodgson
– Adam Clendening is 4th among AHL defenseman in assists with 32. He is ninth in total points (37)
– Cal O’Reilly has 19 goals this season to establish a new personal high. The 35-year-old captain of the Phantoms had 18 goals in a season 15 years ago in the 2006-07 season when he was a 20-year-old rookie with the Milwaukee Admirals.
– The Phantoms have played 67 games and have 9 remaining in the 2021-22 regular season.
Team Scoring Leaders
Cal O’Reilly 19-29-48
Adam Clendening 5-32-37
Garrett Wilson 16-16-32
Hayden Hodgson 19-12-31
Egor Zamula 4-25-29
Isaac Ratcliffe 9-13-22
x – Morgan Frost 6-13-19
Linus Sandin 6-11-17
Wyatte Wylie 4-13-17
Max Willman 10-6-16
Goaltending
Pat Nagle 8-4-4, 2.59, .904
Felix Sandstrom 15-18-3, 2.96, .901
Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday, April 13 (7:05) vs. Hershey Bears (PPL Center)
Friday, April 15 (7:05) vs. Bridgeport Islanders (PPL Center)
Saturday, April 16 (7:05) vs. Providence Bruins (PPL Center) – PRIDE NIGHT!
Tuesday, April 19 (7:05) at Providence Bruins
Friday, April 22 (7:05) vs. Hershey Bears (PPL Center)
Saturday, April 23 (7:00) at Hershey Bears
Tickets for upcoming Phantoms games available HERE
Broadcast coverage of all Phantoms games, home and away, is available on the Phantoms 365 app and on 1470-WSAN. Fans can watch on AHLTV.com and can listen on their Smart Speakers at: “Play Phantoms Radio 24/7.” Join 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.
