April 5, 2016
This Week
Friday, April 8 (7:05 p.m.) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Saturday, April 9 (7:05 p.m.) – Bridgeport Sound Tigers @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Sunday, April 10 (5:00 p.m.) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms @ Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Upcoming
In the midst of a four-game winning streak, the red-hot Lehigh Valley Phantoms (31-32-7, 69 pts., 7th Atlantic Division) return to action with three games this weekend, including a Saturday evening clash at PPL Center.
The Phantoms look to match a season-high five-game winning streak this Friday, April 8 when Lehigh Valley invades the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a rivalry showdown with the Penguins. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (41-24-5, 87 pts., 2nd Atlantic Division) dropped two of three outings last week but still enters the week having claimed seven of their last 12 games overall. After the Penguins opened the week with a 4-3 win at home over the Springfield Falcons, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton dropped a 5-2 decision to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Friday before falling in a 5-3 contest to the Portland Pirates on Saturday.
Friday’s contest will mark the 11th of 12 total meetings during the 2015-2016 regular season between the Phantoms and Penguins with Lehigh Valley holding a 4-5-1 record head-to-head against its in-state rivals. The two sides have split the last six collisions while the Phantoms have posted a 3-1-1 record overall in games played at Mohegan Sun Arena this year.
Lehigh Valley then returns to action in downtown Allentown on Saturday, April 9 when the Phantoms welcome the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, to town for the final time this season. Bridgeport (38-25-7, 83 pts., 5th Atlantic Division) claimed two of three games last week and enters this week having won nine of its last 13 games overall. After a 5-2 victory at home over Portland last Tuesday, the Sound Tigers earned a 5-2 triumph at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday before falling in a 3-1 decision to Springfield on Sunday.
Saturday’s game, which is Faith Night featuring a post-game concert with Christian hip-hop artist Tedashii, will be the fifth of six total meetings this year between Lehigh Valley and Bridgeport. The Phantoms are 1-2-1 overall against the Sound Tigers this season and were handed a 5-4 shootout setback at PPL Center in the most recent meeting back on February 20.
A limited number of tickets remain for Saturday’s clash at PPL Center and can be secured online at pplcenter.com, by calling 610-347-TIXX [8499] or in-person at the Mealey’s Furniture Box Office at PPL Center [701 Hamilton Street].
Lehigh Valley then caps this week’s action on Sunday, April 10 when it closes its regular season series with the Sound Tigers in a 5:00 p.m. showdown at Webster Bank Arena. Be sure to catch all of Sunday’s action live on FOX 1470-AM, online at www.fox1470.com or via the iHeartRadio app beginning with “Countdown to Faceoff” at 4:20 p.m.
- Phantoms By The Numbers
During Lehigh Valley’s four-game winning streak, the Phantoms have outscored their opposition 14-5 and have received those 14 goals from 11 different skaters. What’s more, the team’s penalty kill is a perfect 16-for-16 during its four-game surge.- Goaltender Martin Ouellette is a perfect 4-0 in his last four starts and has produced a miniscule 1.25 goals-against average coupled with a jaw-dropping .963 save percentage during that stretch.
- Winger Chris Conner enters the week first among all active Phantoms with 33 assists and 49 total points. The 32-year-old forward enters the week just one point shy of his fourth career 50-point AHL campaign.
- Winger Taylor Leier enters the week first among all Lehigh Valley skaters with 10 power play goals and tied for the team lead with 20 man-advantage points. The 22-year-old forward is tied for second among all Phantoms in goals (19) and is in sole possession of second place in points (45).
- First-year defenseman Samuel Morin enters the week as the only Phantoms player to have appeared in each of Lehigh Valley’s 70 games to date. The 6’7″, 227-pound blueliner has produced three goals, 14 assists, 17 points and 88 penalty minutes this season.
- The Phantoms enter the week having enjoyed standing room-only sellouts in each of the team’s last 11 straight games at PPL Center. With 22 capacity crowds this season, Lehigh Valley has now enjoyed 44 regular season sellouts since PPL Center opened its doors in the Fall of 2014. What’s more, the Phantoms have now enjoyed as many standing room-only sellouts (22) this year as they did during the team’s Inaugural Season at PPL Center.
Last Week
Friday, April 1: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4 – St. John’s IceCaps 1
Steven Swavely netted his first professional goal and Martin Ouellette denied 27 of 28 shots as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms opened their weekend series in St. John’s with a 4-1 triumph over the IceCaps. Taylor Leier (19th), Adam Comrie (6th) and Robert Hagg (3rd) also scored for the Phantoms as Lehigh Valley captured its third consecutive victory.
Colin McDonald and Mark Alt each chipped in multi-point outings for the Phantoms with two assists each while Lehigh Valley’s special teams played a huge part in the victory as the power play converted in its lone opportunity while the penalty kill successfully thwarted all six of St. John’s power plays.
Saturday, April 2: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4 – St. John’s IceCaps 0
Martin Ouellette recorded his first career AHL shutout with a 31-save performance as the Phantoms completed a weekend sweep of the IceCaps with a 4-0 win in St. John’s. Cole Bardreau and Colin McDonald paced the offensive effort for Lehigh Valley with a goal and an assist each while Tim Brent (8th) and Reece Willcox (1st) also converted for the Phantoms.
Playing in just his second professional game, Willcox netted his first pro goal on the same night in which Oskar Lindblom collected his first professional point as well.
Broadcast Coverage
Service Electric’s TV2 Sports will be broadcasting live all of the Phantoms’ three 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’ three 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 2016-2017 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).
