Sunday, December 3, 3:05 p.m.
Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providene, RI
Lehigh Valley (9-7-4) at Providence (10-8-3)
TODAY
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms conclude their busy weekend with a Sunday matinee at the Providence Bruins at 3:05 p.m.
This is Game 2 out of 6 in the season series which includes a rematch in Allentown next Friday night when the Phantoms return home.
The Phantoms have points in seven of their last eight (5-1-2) but recently dropped regulation and overtime decisions at the Hartford Wolf Pack on Friday and Saturday.
Providence snapped out of a four-game losing skid last Friday via a 2-1 overtime victory at Lehigh Valley which also vaulted them into a four-game win streak.
The Phantoms are 3-1-0 in Sunday games.
LAST TIME
The Phantoms and Wolf Pack went toe-to-toe in a heavy and hard and intense battle on Saturday night with Hartford eventually prevailing in overtime 5-4 on Brennan Othmann’s second goal of the game.
The Phantoms raced out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Wade Allison (3rd) and Helge Grans (1st) but then Othmann’s first triggered the Teddy Bears at XL Center and also triggered a four-goal surge as the Wolf Pack took a 4-2 advantage. Lehigh Valley rallied in the third period on goals by Jordy Bellerive (1st) and Garrett Wilson (5th). The Phantoms almost won it with less than one second left but Olle Lycksell’s power-play effort from the right of the cage was denied on a sprawling glove save by Dylan Garand.
POWER UP!
The Phantoms are second in the AHL on the power play at 25.0% (trailing Hartford at 25.3%). Lehigh Valley also has an eight-game power-play goal streak. The Phantoms have gone 11-for-28 (39.2%) during that stretch including a 3-for-5 performance last Saturday against Rochester.
Olle Lycksell is tied for the league-lead at six power-play markers (with Adam Gaudette of SPR and Ethen Frank of HER).
Tanner Laczynski (3-6-9), Cooper Marody (2-7-9) and Samu Tuomaala (3-5-8) also have multiple power-play goals.
PHANTASTIC!
- Olle Lycksell (12-7-19) is fourth in the AHL with 12 goals and is tied for first in power-play goals at 6. Lycksell is also tied for first with 79 shots on goal goal. He had his seven-game point streak (4-6-10) snapped on Saturday at Hartford which is the longest for the Phantoms this season
- Samu Tuomaala (5-13-18) has racked up three points in a game three times this season including scoring one goal and two assists on Saturday vs. Rochester. The 20-year-old is second in the AHL for most assists by a rookie with 13 and is tied for third in AHL Rookie Points.
- The Phantoms are:
5-0-3 when scoring first
8-1-2 when scoring three or more goals
8-0-0 when leading after two periods
7-1-2 when allowing three goals or fewer - The Phantoms are also the most penalized team in the AHL at 19.9 average PIM per game which includes a league-leading 122 minor penalties. 97 times on the penalty kill this season is also most in the AHL. Captain and veteran leader Garrett Wilson leads the AHL with 69 PIM.
PROVIDENCE PEAKING
Providence (10-8-3) has recovered from a four-game losing slide to put together a four-game winning streak. The Bruins have jumped ahead of the Phantoms for fifth place in the Atlantic Division standings by one point following the P-Bruins 4-3 win at the Bridgeport Islanders on Saturday. Rookie John Farinacci (6-10-16) out of Harvard leads the offense. First-rounder Fabian Lysell (6-8-14) scored the overtime winner at Lehigh Valley last Friday in a 2-1 decision. Anthony Richard (5-8-13) scored 30 goals with Laval last season. Brandon Bussi (5-4-2, 2.63, .918) was spectacular last week with 41 saves on 42 shots against the Phantoms and was the AHL All-Rookie Team goalie a season ago. the Western Michigan product played in college with Ronnie Attard and Wade Allison.
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Olle Lycksell 12-7-19
Samu Tuomaala 5-13-18
Tanner Laczynski 6-12-18
Cooper Marody 5-11-16
Garrett Wilson 5-8-13
Bruins Scoring Leaders
John Fariancii 6-10-16
Fabian Lysell 6-8-14
Riley Nash 9-10-19
Georgii Merkulov 5-9-14
Anthony Richard 5-8-13
Jayosn Megna 5-8-13
SPECIAL TEAMS
Lehigh Valley PP, 25.0% (2nd)
Lehigh Valley PK 79.4% (23rd)
Providence PP 15.0% (23rd)
Providence PK 74.0% (31st)
UP NEXT
The Phantoms are back at PPL Center on Friday, December 8 against the Providence Bruins to open a five-game homestand which includes the annual Teddy Bear Toss Night on Saturday, December 9 when the Phantoms host the Charlotte Checkers.
UPCOMING
Saturday, December 2 (7:00 p.m.) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack
Sunday, December 3 (3:05 p.m.) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Providence Bruins
Friday, December 8 (7:05 p.m.) – Providence Bruins at Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Saturday, December 9 (7:05 p.m.) – Charlotte Checkers at Lehigh Valley Phantoms – Teddy Bear Toss presented by Big Woody’s!
Wednesday, December 13 (7:05) – Charlotte Checkers at Lehigh Valley Phantoms – Military Appreciation Night
Friday, December 15 (7:05) – Laval Rocket at Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Saturday, December 16 (7:05) – Springfield Thunderbirds at Lehigh Valley Phantoms – Hispanic Heritage Night, Los Fantasmas!!
