Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (37-26-6) at Bridgeport Islanders (32-29-8)
Total Mortgage Arena, Bridgeport, CT
TONIGHT
Having punched their ticket to the Calder Cup Playoffs, the Phantoms now aim for home-ice advantage in the first round of the postseason as they enter the final three games of the season. Lehigh Valley slipped to fourth place last night following Charlotte’s win at the Hershey Bears but still controls its own destiny. The Phantoms have an opportunity to lock up a home-ice spot via wins tonight and Friday.
Lehigh Valley (37-26-6) has won three straight and also six of seven. The Phantoms are peaking down the stretch of the 2022-23 season with a record of 11-4-0 in their last 15 games.
Bridgeport (32-29-8) was eliminated on Saturday with an 8-2 loss against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and will not be going to the postseason. The Islanders occupied the sixth-place playoff spot for much of March but the Hartford Wolf Pack streaked past them with an eight-game win streak to snag the last postseason berth in the Atlantic.
LAST TIME
Saturday, April 8, 2023
Phantoms 4 – Thunderbirds 3
The Comeback Phantoms had another Rally in the Valley in an exciting come-from-behind win to officially clinch a playoff spot before a roaring crowd at PPL Center. Trailing 2-0 and 3-1, the Phantoms rallied with three straight goals in the third period to turn the tables on the T-Birds. Emil Andrae (2nd) and Kevin Connauton (3rd) had big markers set up by Adam Brooks and then Brooks smartly connected with Olle Lycksell on the backdoor with 3:24 left for the game-winner. Sam Ersson was terrific with 33 saves in his 24th win of the season.
GINNING DEBUTS
Defenseman Adam Ginning became the fifth Lehigh Valley Phantoms prospect to make his NHL debut with the Flyers this season when he was recalled on Tuesday. The 23-year-old from Linkoping, Sweden has thrived in his first pro season in North America with a team-leading +25 rating in 65 games played while scoring 3-16-19. Other Phantoms to make their NHL debuts this season have included Olle Lycksell, Sam Ersson, Elliot Desnoyers and Tyson Foerster. 
TERRIFIC TYSON
Tyson Foerster has kept his scoring touch since his return to the Phantoms from the Philadelphia Flyers. He now has a combined 11-game point streak (4-10-14) between the Phantoms and Flyers combined including 1-7-8 in six games since his return to Lehigh Valley from Philadelphia on March 27.
Foerster’s total seven-game point streak (2-7-9) with just the Phantoms, which predates his recall to Philly, is the longest of the season for Lehigh Valley.
Foerster finished his stretch with Philadelphia on a five-game point streak (3-4-7) including his first-career NHL goal on March 18 vs. Carolina followed by his second NHL goal against Marc-Andre Fleury of Minnesota with a snipe on the rush on March 23.
23 IN 23
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have thrived in calendar year 2023 beginning with points in seven of eight games to start on their way to 23 total wins so far since January 1.
Ian Laperriere’s crew has gone an impressive 23-13-3 in 2023 after entering the New Year with a pedestrian 14-13-3 mark.
RALLIES IN THE VALLEY
Lehigh Valley has won six of its last seven games and in four of those wins the team has trailed in the third period and rallied from behind. The Comeback Phantoms have nine victories this season in games in which they have trailed at the second intermission. That’s the second-most third-period comebacks in the AHL behind only the Providence Bruins who have 10.
Three or fewer such comeback triumphs is common in the AHL with 14 out of 32 teams posting a low number of late rallies. The rival Hershey Bears only have one third-period comeback this season.
RECORDS WATCH
Several Phantoms are establishing new marks and etching their names in the Lehigh Valley record book.
Elliot Desnoyers is tied for the most goals by a rookie on Lehigh Valley at 22 which was also accomplished by Danick Martel in 2015-16. The all-time franchise record for goals by a rookie is 24 by Kyle Greentree of the Philadelphia Phantoms in 2007-08.
Adam Ginning was +3 in last Friday’s game to take the lead for the best plus-minus in Lehigh Valley history.
Garrett Wilson’s penalty in Friday’s game established a new mark for career PIM for Lehigh Valley.
Most goals by Rookie – Lehigh Valley
1. Elliot Desnoyers – 22 (2022-23)
1. Danick Martel – 22 (2015-16)
3. Connor Bunnaman – 19 (2018-19)
Most wins in season by Goalie – Lehigh Valley
1. Alex Lyon – 27 (2016-17)
2. Sam Ersson – 24 (2022-23)
3. Anthony Stolarz – 21 (2015-16)
3. Ron Zepp – 21 (2014-15)
Single-Season Plus-Minus – Lehigh Valley
1. Adam Ginning 25 (22-23)
2. Nic Aube–Kubel 24 (17-18)
3. Max Lamarche 21 (17-18)
Penalty Minutes (Career) – Lehigh Valley
1. Garrett Wilson 314
2. Tyrell Goulbourne 313
3. Samuel Morin 289
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS
Bridgeport (32-29-8) was eliminated from postseason contention with a humbling 8-2 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday. The Islanders had occupied the sixth-place playoff spot for much of February and March but the Hartford Wolf Pack ultimately sprinted past their in-state rivals with a seven-game win streak. The Phantoms have dominated the season series with a 5-1-1 record against the Islanders including a 3-2 win at Bridgeport in the most recent meeting on Sunday, April 2. Garrett Wilson scored in the second period for a 3-1 lead on a pretty passing sequence on the rush including Bobby Brink and Adam Brooks. Veterans Chris Terry (23-45-68) and Andy Andreoff (34-36-60) pace the Bridgeport offense. The former Phantoms, Andreoff, is second in the AHL and first in the conference with 34 goals. Terry rates sixth in the AHL in points and is third in the conference.
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Tyson Foerster 20-26-46
Olle Lycksell 13-31-44
Elliot Desnoyers 22-20-42
Garrett Wilson 17-22-39
Cooper Marodty 14-24-38
Artem Anisimov 19-16-35
Islanders Scoring Leaders
Chris Terry 23-45-68
Andy Andreoff 34-26-60
Ruslan Ishakov 17-33-50
Arnaud Durandeau 19-30-49
William Dufour 21-25-46
Phantoms Tickets are available HERE
SPECIAL TEAMS
Lehigh Valley Power Play – 21.5%, 7th
Lehigh Valley Penalty Kill – 74.2%, 32nd
Bridgeport Power Play – 22.1%, 6th
Bridgeport Penalty Kill – 80.3%, 20th
UP NEXT
The Phantoms return to PPL Center for the regular season home finale on Friday against the Charlotte Checkers. Lehigh Valley’s last game of the 2022-23 regular season is Saturday, April 15 at the Hershey Bears.
Phantoms Tickets are available HERE
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Wednesday, April 12 (7:00) at Bridgeport Islanders
Friday, April 14 (7:05) vs. CHARLOTTE CHECKERS
Saturday, April 15 (7:00) at Hershey Bears
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Friday, April 14 (7:05) vs. Charlotte Checkers – Regular Season Home Finale. Berks $1 Hot Dogs
Calder Cup Playoffs! – Dates TBD
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.”
Service Electric Network again provides exclusive television coverage of all Phantoms home games with veteran announcer Steve Degler and Phantoms’ alum Steven Swavely on the call from the booth. Kristi Fulkerson reports from ice level and also from the Chickie’s and Pete’s studio with Dan Fremuth for pregame, intermission and postgame show analysis.
