Friday, December 16 at 7:05 p.m.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (11-9-2) at Providence Bruins (15-4-5)
Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, RI
TONIGHT
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms open a home-and-home series with the Providence Bruins with a Friday night clash in Rhode Island. The two teams will rematch at PPL Center on Saturday for Lehigh Valley’s annual Teddy Bear Toss Night presented by Big Woody’s. This is Lehigh Valley’s final visit to Providence this season.
The Phantoms are on a two-game win streak and are 2-0 against the Bruins this year.
The P-Bruins have the second-best record in the AHL and their four regulation losses in 24 games is the fewest in the AHL. Providence has won five of its last seven.
The Phantoms are playing the second-best and best teams in the AHL this weekend with two games against Providence followed by a Sunday game at Hershey.
LAST TIME
Saturday, December 10, 2022
Phantoms 6 – Checkers 1
Artem Anisimov enjoyed a monster four-point performance on the same day that his new contract with the Phantoms was announced. The veteran of 13 NHL seasons scored two goals and added two assists as Lehigh Valley went 3-for-7 on the power play in the team’s most lopsided win of the season. Kieffer Bellows scored for a second consecutive night and Tyson Foerster scored his eighth of the year while Olle Lycksell contributed his fifth.
The Phantoms also became the ninth team in AHL history to play 2,000 games. The Phantoms franchise began as the Philadelphia Phantoms in 1996.
MOVING UP
The Philadelphia Flyers recalled forward Olle Lycksell from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He was in the lineup in Thursday’s 2-1 win at the New Jersey Devils in his second career NHL game. Lycksell was coming off a three-point performance last Saturday with one goal and two assists in a 6-1 thrashing of the Charlotte Checkers. The first-year pro in North America is averaging a point per game scoring 5-11-16 in 16 games with the Phantoms. The 5′ 10″ lefty shot from Oskarshamn, Sweden was a Round 6 selection of the Flyers in 2017.
AWESOME ARTEM
Artem Anisimov made quite the statement in his first game since officially signing his standard player contract with the Phantoms for the remainder of 2022-23 season scoring two goals with two assists for a monster four-point performance against Charlotte. The accomplished NHL veteran joined Lehigh Valley on November 15 on a tryout contract while getting back into shape following a blocked shot in the preseason with Philadelphia on September 24. The 34-year-old center has played in 771 career NHL games with the New York Rangers, Chicago, Columbus and Ottawa. His two-goal performance on November 26 against Rochester represented his first goals in the AHL in 13 years!!
PHANTASTIC!
– The Phantoms power play is 11/25, 44% over the last seven games and is 26.2% overall for 5th in the AHL.
– Tyson Foerster is on a 4-game point streak (3-3-6) and has scored 6-5-11 in the last 11 games.
– Kieffer Bellows is on a four-game point streak since joining the Phantoms and has scored a goal in each of his home games with his new team.
– Artem Anisimov in four home games has scored 5-3-8
– Elliot Desnoyers is tied for third among AHL rookies with 9 goals and also leads the Phantoms in lamplighters
– Olle Lycksell is averaging two points per game when Anisimov is also in the lineup: 5 games, 3-7-10.
– The Phantoms are 7-2-2 in one-goal games. Lehigh Valley is 7-0-2 when leading after two periods.
– The Phantoms are 3-2 in decisions after regulation having gone 2-1 in overtime and 1-1 in shootouts.
ABOUT THE BRUINS
Providence (15-4-5) has the second-best record in the AHL behind only Hershey and is the only team in the league with only four regulation losses.
Lehigh Valley swept a pair of games at Providence on November 18-19 by scores of 4-2 and 3-2 in a shootout. Isaac Ratcliffe posted a two-goal performance in the Friday game and then Tanner Laczynski had a goal and a shootout winner in the Saturday contest.
The P-Bruins have gone 5-2-0 in their last seven following a four-game winless slide (0-1-3).
Providence has some talented rookies including Luke Toporowski (9-9-18), Fabian Lysell (7-10-17) and Georgii Merkulov (5-11-16). Goaltender Brandon Bussi leads the AHL with a .932 save percentage.
Providence is allowing 34.1 shots per game, most in the AHL.
The Bruins are 5-2-3 when they are TRAILING after two periods and are the only team in the AHL with a winning overall record in games in which they face a second-intermission deficit.
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Tyson Foerster 8-10-18
x Olle Lycksell 5-11-16
x Cam York 3-10-13
Elliot Desnoyers 9-3-12
Garrett Wilson 5-7-12
Charlotte Scoring Leaders
Vinni Lettieri 10-13-23
Luke Toporowski 9-9-18
Fabian Lysell 7-10-17
Georgii Merkulov 5-11-16
Connor Carrick 2-12-14
Phantoms Tickets are available HERE
SPECIAL TEAMS
Lehigh Valley Power Play – 26.2% (5th0
Lehigh Valley Penalty Kill – 71.1% (29th)
Providence Power Play – 14.4% (29th)
Providence Penalty Kill – 80.0% (15th)
UP NEXT
The Phantoms and Bruins rematch at PPL Center on Saturday on Lehigh Valley’s annual Teddy Bear Toss Night presented by Big Woody’s. The Phantoms conclude the weekend with a Sunday 5:00 PMroad tilt at rival Hershey.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Friday, December 16 (7:05) at Providence Bruins
Saturday, December 17 (7:05) vs. PROVIDENCE BRUINS
Sunday, December 18 (5:00) at Hershey Bears
Wednesday, December 21 (7:05) vs. HERSHEY BEARS
Friday, December 23 (7:05) at Springfield Thunderbirds
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Saturday, December 17 (7:05) vs. Providence Bruins – Teddy Bear Toss Presented by Big Woody’s
Wednesday, December 21 (7:05) vs. Hershey Bears – Pregame Happy Hour, $2 Miller Lites and Yuenglings
Wednesday, December 28 (7:05) vs. Bridgeport Islanders – Pregame Happy Hour, $2 Miller Lites and Yuenglings
Saturday, December 31 (7:05) vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – New Year’s Eve Celebration presented by Penn Community Bank. Including festivities and great fun on Hamilton Street right after the game right with the World’s Largest Puck-Drop to ring in 2023!
Broadcast coverage of all Phantoms games with Bob Rotruck is available on the Phantoms 365 app and on Real Oldies 1470-AM in Allentown. Also available on the Listen Live button at phantomshockey.com
Fans can also watch the games on AHLTV.com or can listen on their Smart Speakers at: “Play Phantoms Radio 24/7.”
