Phantoms Weekly – Teddy Bear Toss Highlights Phantoms’ 3-Game Weekend

December 2, 2014

This Week

Friday, December 5 (7:05 PM) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Saturday, December 6 (7:05 PM) – Bridgeport Sound Tigers @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms

(Teddy Bear Toss presented by Dan’s Camera City! Fans are encouraged to bring new or gently used teddy bears to the game and throw them on the ice when the Phantoms score their first goal. All bears donated to Valley Youth House.)

(Legends Night – Bill Barber! 2-time Stanley Cup champion, Hockey Hall of Famer and the first head coach in Phantoms history, Barber will be on hand to meet fans and sign autographs!)

Sunday, December 7 (3:00 PM) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms @ Bridgeport Sound Tigers

Upcoming

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms, proud AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, face quite a challenge this week with three games in a span of less than 48 hours.

Lehigh Valley (9-8-2, 20 pts.) returns to action this Friday as the Phantoms head to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a rivalry showdown with the East Division-leading Penguins. Friday’s tilt will be the fourth of 12 total meetings during the 2014-2015 regular season between the Phantoms and Penguins with Lehigh Valley holding a 1-1-1 record against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (12-8-1-1, 26 pts.) this season.

The Phantoms then return to PPL Center on Saturday for a 7:05 PM showdown with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. History will be made on Saturday as the Phantoms host their first Teddy Bear Toss in Lehigh Valley. Fans are encouraged to bring new or gently used teddy bears to the game and throw them onto the ice when the Phantoms score their first goal. All bears will then be donated to Valley Youth House.

Bill_Barber_PosterSaturday’s game is also Lehigh Valley’s first Legends Night as the Phantoms welcome two-time Stanley Cup Champion, Hockey Hall of Famer and the first head coach in Phantoms history, Bill Barber, to PPL Center. In conjunction with Legends Night, every fan in attendance will receive a FREE Collector’s Edition Poster spotlighting Barber and the hockey legend will be available to meet fans and sign autographs from 6:00 to 6:45 PM.

Tickets for Saturday’s highly-anticipated match-up are available now at the Mealey’s Furniture Box Office at PPL Center (701 Hamilton), by calling 610-347-TIXX (8499) or online at pplcenter.com.

Finally, the Phantoms conclude their busy three-game weekend on Sunday when they head to Bridgeport for a 3 PM rematch with the Sound Tigers. This weekend’s home-and-home series will be the first two of eight total meetings during the 2014-2015 regular season between the Phantoms and Sound Tigers. Bridgeport (11-7-2-1, 25 pts.) enters the week in a tie with the Providence Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Sound Tigers snapped a six-game winless skid (0-5-1) this past Sunday with a 3-0 win over Providence.

We’re Going Streaking!

Two Phantoms players enter the week in the midst of awfully impressive streaks.

JustSports PhotographyDefenseman Brandon Manning enters the week in the midst of a season-high eight-game scoring streak. During that stretch, the 24-year-old blueliner has amassed four goals, six assists and 10 points and as a result of his recent surge, Manning enters the week atop Lehigh Valley’s scoring chart with 16 points. The AHL’s fifth-highest scoring defenseman, Manning’s eight-game run is tied for the longest such streak among AHL defenders this season.

Meanwhile, Taylor Leier (left) enters the week having notched power play goals in three straight games. A 20-year-old winger from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Leier has actually recorded goals in four of his last five outings and enters the week first among all Phantoms with seven goals this season. A 5’11”, 177-pound forward, Leier also leads all Lehigh Valley skaters and is tied for second among all AHL rookies with four power play goals.

Last Week

Wednesday, November 26: Springfield Falcons 3 – Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2

JustSports PhotographyDarroll Powe and Taylor Leier both netted third-period conversions last Wednesday and Anthony Stolarz registered 31 saves but Lehigh Valley’s comeback fell just short in a 3-2 setback to the Springfield Falcons at PPL Center.

The contest closed an extremely productive five-game home stand for the Phantoms which saw Lehigh Valley go 3-1-1 while claiming seven of a possible 10 standings points during the home stretch. Steven Delisle, Nick Cousins, Brandon Manning and Blair Jones all grabbed assists in the tilt while the Phantoms finished 2-for-4 on the power play.

Friday, November 28: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2 – Albany Devils 4

The Phantoms orchestrated another valiant comeback effort as Taylor Leier and Petr Straka both scored in the second period but the Albany Devils were able to hang on for a 4-2 victory over Lehigh Valley at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Anthony Stolarz and Martin Ouellette combined for 22 total saves while the Phantoms produced their ninth power play conversion in nine road games. With the man-advantage marker, Lehigh Valley enters the week boasting the AHL’s fifth-best road power play (9-for-40, 22.5 percent).

Saturday, November 29: Norfolk Admirals 3 – Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4

JustSports PhotographyBlair Jones recorded the first Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist, fight) in Lehigh Valley Phantoms history while Taylor Leier (2 goals, assist) and Brandon Manning (3 assists) each chipped in three points as the Phantoms earned a 4-3 triumph over the Norfolk Admirals in front of a standing room-only crowd of 8,522 fans at PPL Center.

Anthony Stolarz earned the victory in goal with 35 saves on 38 total shots while the Phantoms capped a productive week on the power play going 2-for-8 in the contest and 5-for-15 in the busy three-game week. The contest also marked the fourth standing room-only sellout this season at PPL Center and sixth game to feature more than 8,000 supporters.

Broadcast Coverage

Service Electric’s TV2 Sports will be broadcasting live all of the Phantoms’ 28 remaining regular season home games. If you can’t make it out to the rink, be sure to catch all the exciting action in high definition with Steve Degler and former Flyers and Phantoms goaltender Brian Boucher! And don’t miss “Phantoms – Breaking the Ice” every Monday from 7:00 – 8:00 PM throughout the season live at Chickie’s & Pete’s (701 Hamilton Street)!

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. Nazareth Pallett Countdown to Faceoff begins 45 minutes prior to puck drop.

Ticket Information

Tickets for all of the Phantoms’ 28 remaining regular season home games, including this Saturday’s highly-anticipated showdown, are on sale now at the Mealey’s Furniture Box Office at PPL Center (7th & Hamilton), by calling 610-347-TIXX (8499) or online at pplcenter.com.

Check it out! 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 affordable partial-season plans by calling 610-224-GOAL (4625).

In their 19th season of operation, the Phantoms are currently in the midst of their Inaugural Season as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms playing at the brand-new 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).