January 12, 2016
This Week
Friday, January 15 (7:05 p.m.) – Hershey Bears @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms
(T-Shirt Giveaway. Free to First 8,500 Fans in Attendance.)
Saturday, January 16 (7:05 p.m.) – Hartford Wolf Pack @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms
(Girl Scout Night.)
Sunday, January 17 (5:00 p.m.) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms @ Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Upcoming
On the verge of a three-game weekend, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (17-19-2-1, 37 pts.) enter the week just four standings points back of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.
Lehigh Valley’s push toward the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs continues this Friday, January 15 when the Phantoms welcome the Hershey Bears back to PPL Center for a 7:05 p.m. showdown. Hershey (19-13-1-5, 44 pts., 3rd Atlantic Division) claimed just one of three games last weekend in a busy weekend of its own. After a 5-4 setback at the Rochester Americans on Friday followed by a 4-2 loss at the Syracuse Crunch on Saturday, the Bears salvaged the busy stretch with a 6-3 win at home over the Utica Comets on Sunday.
Friday’s contest will mark the eighth of 12 total meetings during the 2015-2016 regular season between Lehigh Valley and Hershey with the Phantoms holding a 5-2 mark head-to-head against their in-state rivals. Lehigh Valley has claimed three straight meetings with the Bears and is 3-1 against Hershey this season in games played in downtown Allentown.
Friday’s game features a T-Shirt Giveaway where the first 8,500 fans in attendance will receive a free shirt highlighting the names of each member of the Phantoms organization.
Then, on Saturday, January 16, Lehigh Valley welcomes the Hartford Wolf Pack to PPL Center for the first time this season. Hartford (16-19-2-0, 34 pts., 7th Atlantic Division) won two of three games last weekend capturing a 5-4 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday followed by a 4-3 overtime triumph against the Albany Devils on Sunday. The victories came after a 3-2 setback to the Springfield Falcons on Friday as Hartford was able to secure a split during a recent six-game home stand. The Wolf Pack now hit the road for five straight as Hartford will travel to Springfield, Lehigh Valley, Providence, Albany and Bridgeport over the course of the next two weeks.
Saturday’s contest, which is Girl Scout Night at PPL Center, will be just the second of six total meetings between the Phantoms and Wolf Pack this season and the first to take place in downtown Allentown. Lehigh Valley was handed a 3-1 setback in Hartford back on November 21.
A limited number of tickets for Friday and Saturday’s games are available now at pplcenter.com, by calling 610-347-TIXX [8499] or by visiting the Mealey’s Furniture Box Office at PPL Center [701 Hamilton Street].
The Phantoms then close their three-game weekend on Sunday, January 17 when the team travels to Bridgeport for a 5:00 p.m. showdown with the Sound Tigers. Bridgeport (19-16-2-1, 41 pts., 4th Atlantic Division) dropped a pair of one-goal decisions in Providence and Hartford last weekend and enters the week in the midst of a modest three-game losing skid. The Sound Tigers have allowed five goals in each of their last three games and have now lost nine of their last 12 games overall.
Sunday’s game will mark the second of six total meetings this year between Lehigh Valley and Bridgeport after the Sound Tigers claimed a 2-1 victory at PPL Center on December 26. Before hosting the Phantoms on Sunday, the Sound Tigers will be in Portland on Friday and Saturday for a weekend series with the Pirates.
- Phantoms By The Numbers
Center Nick Cousins was named to the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic last week. A 22-year-old forward from Belleville, Ontario, Cousins enters the week tied for seventh among all AHLers in total scoring with 31 points (9 goals, 22 assists). Lehigh Valley’s team leader in assists and points, he is also second among all Phantoms in shots (85), plus/minus (plus-9) and power play points (10).- Goaltender Anthony Stolarz was also named last week to the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic. A 21-year-old netminder from Edison, New Jersey, Stolarz enters the week with a 12-9-3 overall record to go along with the league’s sixth-best goals-against average (2.32) coupled with the AHL’s eighth-best save percentage (.920).
- Forward Danick Martel is currently second among all Phantoms and tied for fourth among all AHL rookies with 13 goals this season.
- Andrew MacDonald enters the week leading all Lehigh Valley defenders and is tied for seventh among all AHL blueliners in total scoring with 22 points (5 goals, 17 assists).
- The Phantoms penalty kill has allowed just three power play goals over the team’s last 13 games. During that stretch, Lehigh Valley’s penalty kill is an impressive 44-for-47 (93.6 percent) and is now 12th overall in the AHL at 84.3 percent.
Last Week
Friday, January 8: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4 – Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3
Taylor Leier (9th goal), Sam Gagner (1st) and Samuel Morin (3rd) all scored first-period goals for the Phantoms and Lehigh Valley out shot visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 16-10 through the final two periods on Friday but the Penguins were able to hang on for a 4-3 win in front of 8,658 fans at PPL Center. Josh Archibald scored twice for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, including the game winner, while Scott Wilson and Dominik Uher also found the back of the net for the Penguins.
Friday’s game, which featured the return of winger Chris Conner after a 15-game absence due to injury, was Lehigh Valley’s seventh standing room-only sellout this season.
Saturday, January 9: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2 – Albany Devils 4
Joe Rehkamp notched his first career AHL tally and Davis Drewiske netted his first goal of the season but the Albany Devils were able to capture a 4-2 victory against the Phantoms at Times Union Center. Mike Sislo scored his team-leading 16th goal of the season for the Devils while Seth Helgeson, Blake Pietila and Brian O’Neill also scored for Albany.
Two of the Devils’ conversions came on the power play, which snapped Lehigh Valley’s successful penalty killing streak at an impressive 30 straight opportunities.
Sunday, January 10: Binghamton Senators 2 – Lehigh Valley Phantoms 1
All-Star forward Nick Cousins netted his 9th goal of the season and the Phantoms controlled play from start to finish outshooting visiting Binghamton 30-20 overall but the Senators were somehow able to escape PPL Center with a 2-1 victory. All-Star goaltender Anthony Stolarz registered 18 saves as Lehigh Valley skated in front of its third straight standing room-only sellout and eighth capacity crowd of the 2015-16 season.
Broadcast Coverage
Service Electric’s TV2 Sports will be broadcasting live all of the Phantoms’ 19 remaining regular season home games. If you can’t make it out to the rink, be sure to catch all the exciting action live in HD quality with Steve Degler, Peter Zingoni, Doug Heater and Kristi Fulkerson! Pre-game coverage begins with “Phantoms Front and Center” 30 minutes before puck drop. And don’t miss “Phantoms – Breaking the Ice” every Monday from 7:00 – 7:30 p.m. throughout the season live at Chickie’s & Pete’s at PPL Center!
Be sure to also catch each and every Phantoms game this season live on Fox Sports 1470 AM, online at Fox1470.com or via the iHeartRadio app! Join Voice of the Phantoms, Bob Rotruck, for all of the heart-pumping action of Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey whether the team is at home or on the road. “Countdown to Faceoff” begins 45 minutes prior to puck drop.
Ticket Information
Tickets for all of the Phantoms’ 19 remaining regular season home games are available now online at pplcenter.com, by calling 610-347-TIXX [8499] or in-person at the Mealey’s Furniture Box Office at PPL Center (7th & Hamilton).
RISE UP! Don’t miss the action and fun of Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey at PPL Center in downtown Allentown! Contact the Phantoms Front Office for information on season tickets and groups for the 2015-2016 season of Phantoms hockey by calling 610-224-GOAL [4625].
In the midst of their 20th season of operation, the Phantoms are coming off their Inaugural Season as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms playing at the state-of-the-art PPL Center. Established in 1996, the Philadelphia Phantoms spent their first 13 seasons at the Spectrum before re-locating to Glens Falls, New York in 2009 where the team spent the next five seasons as the Adirondack Phantoms. A new era of Phantoms hockey began in the fall of 2014 when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms began play at the state-of-the-art PPL Center. Through 18 incredibly successful campaigns, the Phantoms have captured two Calder Cup Championships (1998, 2005), two Conference Championships (1998, 2005), two Regular Season Titles (1996-97, 1997-98) and four Division Championships (1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2003-04).
