The Lehigh Valley Phantoms head to Chocolatetown to take on the rival Hershey Bears tonight at 7 p.m. in the first half of a weekend home-and-home series.
In nine prior meetings this season, the Phantoms hold a 5-4-0-0 record against the Bears and are outscoring their foes 26-17. Lehigh Valley will look to slow down a red-hot Hershey team that has picked up points in the past 13 games and has a 9-0-0-1 record in its past 10 games.
The Orange and Black, who have won their last two contests, will look to fend off the Bears and create some space in the standings. As of Saturday morning, Lehigh Valley is holding on to fourth place in the Atlantic by just two points over Hershey.
Phantoms at Hershey Bears
Phantoms Leading Scorers
- Greg Carey (50 GP, 23G-25A, 48 PTS)
- Chris Conner (50 GP, 12G-25A, 37 PTS)
- T.J. Brennan (42 GP, 8G-28A, 36 PTS)
- Byron Froese (47 GP, 14G-16A, 30 PTS)
- Mike Vecchione (51 GP, 11G-19A, 30 PTS)
Bears Leading Scorers
- Mike Sgarbossa (50 GP, 21G-21A, 42 PTS)
- Riley Barber (44 GP, 21G-20A, 41 PTS)
- Aaron Ness (46 GP, 3G-32A, 35 PTS)
- Liam O’Brien (50 GP, 14G-9A, 23 PTS)
- Jayson Megna (46 GP, 11G-12A, 23 PTS)
Prior Meetings This Season
Feb. 2 — HER 2, LV 1
Jan. 23 — LV 2, HER 1 (SO)
Jan. 13 — HER 5, LV 4
Jan. 12 — HER 3, LV 0
Dec. 22 — LV 6, HER 1
Dec. 19 — LV 5, HER 0
Dec. 7 — LV 1, HER 0
Nov. 23 — LV 6, HER 2
Oct. 28 — HER 3, LV 1
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Snap Shots
- In nine prior meetings this season, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms penalty kill is a perfect 31 for 31 against the Hershey Bears.
- Forward Greg Carey, who is coming off of a two-goal game, leads the Phantoms in scoring against the Bears this season with four goals and four assists for eight points in nine games.
- Alex Lyon is projected to start tonight between the pipes for the Phantoms and in six games against the Bears during the 2018-19 season, he holds an impressive 1.70 goals-against average with a .940 save percentage.
- Don’t sleep on the Orange and Black: After last night’s comeback, the Phantoms are now tied for second in the AHL with four, third-period comeback victories.
Players to Watch
Connor Bunnaman scored his first professional goal against the Bears earlier this season and has maintained continued success against Hershey throughout his rookie campaign. Bunnaman has five points (4G-1A) in seven games against the Bears this season and will be looking to add to that total this weekend.
Greg Carey is now tied for first place in the AHL with 12 power-play goals this season and also leads the Phantoms in scoring against the Bears with four goals and four assists for eight points in nine games. Should Lehigh Valley find themselves on the man advantage, look for Carey to play a large role.
Recent Transactions
February 12, 2019: The Philadelphia Flyers recalled goaltender Mike McKenna from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and loaned goaltender Brian Elliott to the Phantoms on a conditioning loan
February 14, 2019: The Lehigh Valley Phantoms recalled goaltender Branden Komm from the Reading Royals and released forward Josh MacDonald from his PTO
February 14, 2019: The Philadelphia Flyers loaned defenseman Samuel Morin to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on a conditioning loan
February 14, 2019: The Philadelphia Flyers activated forward Pascal Laberge from from injured, non-roster and loaned him to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms
The Road Ahead
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms will continue their home-and-home series with the rival Hershey Bears when they return home to PPL Center for a rematch on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. Sunday’s game will also be meLVin’s Birthday Bash, presented by Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, featuring numerous mascots and a special appearance by Gritty. There will also be a postgame skate with players that is available to anyone who purchases tickets and has a pair of skates. Get your tickets to see the Phantoms do battle with one of their most heated rivals by clicking HERE.
