Lehigh Valley Phantoms (22-18-6) at W-B/Scranton Penguins (26-12-4)
Mohegan Arena, Wilkes-Barre, PA
Friday, February 14, 2025 (7:05 p.m.) – Game #47
TONIGHT – The romance will be rekindled in Wilkes-Barre, the Paris of the northeast, as old lovebirds reunite in a rivalry clash on Valentine’s Day.
This is the first of a busy three-game weekend for the Phantoms and also the first of two against the rival Penguins this weekend as well. Tonight is Game 9 out of 12 in the season series.
Lehigh Valley (22-18-6) is in the last spot above the playoff cutline in the Atlantic Division. There are 26 games remaining in the regular season.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (26-12-4) continues knocking on the door for the top spot in the division. The Phantoms are looking to acquire their first win in northeast Pennsylvania this season and are visiting Mohegan Arena for the final time in 2024-25.
After a Saturday night home game against Syracuse, the Phantoms and Penguins will be reunited on Sunday afternoon at PPL Center.
LAST TIME – Alexis Gendron (13th) and Oscar Eklind (5th) scored for early leads for Lehigh Valley last Saturday at PPL Center but the Hartford Wolf Pack ended a seven-game losing slide in a 4-2 decision in Allentown. Anton Blidh (14th, 15th) converted a pair including an empty-net dagger at the end while Brett Berard (9th) scored on a 2-on-1 at the end of the second period to give the Pack a 3-2 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Keith Petruzzelli made some strong saves in his second-ever appearance for the Phantoms but Hartford’s shorthanded goal by Bo Groulx early in the second period triggered the comeback.
MEDIA MATERIALS – Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for upcoming games at the following link: https://www.phantomshockey.com/media-materials/points. He has also played in 39 career NHL games scoring 6-8-14.
TRANSACTIONS –
Feb 6 JoJo Cassaro – Add – Recalled from Reading
Feb 7 Jacob Gaucher – Add – Returned by PHI to Phantoms
Feb 8 Jacob Gaucher – Del – Recalled to Flyers
Feb 8 Anthony Richard – Add – Returned by PHI to Phantoms
Feb 9 Jacob Gaucher – Add – Returned by PHI to Phantoms
Feb 9 Emil Andrae – Add – Returned by PHI to Phantoms
Feb 9 Rodrigo Abols – Add – Returned by PHI to Phantoms
Feb 10 JoJo Cassaro – Del – Loaned to Reading
REINFORCEMENTS –
Defenseman Emil Andrae and forwards Rodrigo Ābols, Jacob Gaucher and Anthony Richard have all recently returned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms as the Philadelphia Flyers have gone on a two-week Four Nations Tournament break. Richard returned in time for Saturday’s game which was his 500th in the AHL.
Andrae, 22, has played in 15 games with the Phantoms this season scoring 2-7-9 while also playing in 24 NHL games with Philadelphia scoring 1-5-6.
Ābols, 29, was recalled to Philadelphia on January 20 and played in nine games with the Flyers scoring his first career NHL goal last Sunday, February 2 at Colorado. The Lativa product who made his NHL debut had initially decided to return to North America after playing the last four seasons in Sweden and has thrived in his opportunity to see if he was indeed good enough to play in the NHL. Abols has scored 9-10-19 with the Phantoms in 34 games.
Gaucher, 23, made his NHL debut with the Flyers at Colorado on Sunday, February 2 and played in four total games with Philadelphia. He recently returned to the Phantoms for just one game vs. Cleveland on Friday before returning to the Flyers for Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh. Gaucher’s busy week saw him play five games in seven days between the Flyers and Phantoms combined. Gaucher leads the Phantoms with 14 goals.
Richard, 28, has played in 15 games with the Flyers scoring 2-4-6 setting a new personal high for most NHL games in a single season eclipsing his previous mark of 13 games wth Montreal in 2022-23. With the Phantoms this season, he has scored 8-11-19 in 19 games played while also missing a month due to injury. Richard just playing his 500th career AHL game in a career that has included stints with Lehigh Valley, Providence, Laval, Syracuse, Chicago and Milwaukee scoring 152 career goals with 167 assists for 319 points. He has also played in 39 career NHL games scoring 6-8-14.
PHANTASTIC –
– Goaltender Parker Gahagen has a personal six-game win streak since December 28 going an incredible 6-0-0, 1.29, .949 during that stretch. Gahagen’s microscopic 1.29 GAA is third in the AHL in that stretch for all goalies with three or more games played.
– Olle Lycksell has goals in five of his last seven games with eight total goals over the extended period which dates back to December 18. Lycksell is averaging almost a point-per-game with Lehigh Valley having scored 13-15-28 in 30 games this season. He has also played in six NHL games with the Philadelphia Flyers.
– Last Friday was Louie Belpedio’s 400th career pro game. The 28-year-old from Skokie, Ill. is in his third season as an alternate captain with the Phantoms. The righty shooting defenseman out of Miami (Ohio) University has played in 385 AHL games with Iowa, Laval and Lehigh Valley as well as 16 NHL games with Philadelphia and Minnesota. Tonight is also his 150th game with the Phantoms where he has scored 16 goals including four overtime winners.
– The Phantoms lead the AHL with 16 overtime games and are also tied for the tops with seven OT wins (along with Laval). Olle Lycksell leads the AHL with three overtime winners. Lehigh Valley is 7-5 in overtimes and 3-1 in shootouts.
Lehigh Valley is also second in the AHL with 28 one-goal decisions (Hershey has 29) and boasts a record of 16-6-6 in the squeakers including 10-1-3 at home.
IMPENDING MILESTONES
– Garrett Wilson, 397 pro points
– Garrett Wilson, 264 games with Lehigh Valley (Record: Greg Carey, 277 games)
WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (26-11-4) has been pushing to the top of the Atlantic Division but is still barely behind first-place Hershey after a 5-4 loss on Tuesday when a tying goal with two seconds left was negated due to a high stick. The Penguins had previously won three straight including a wild rally from a 4-1 deficit to post a thrilling 5-4 OT victory over Cleveland last Saturday. Two weeks ago, the Baby Pens trounced Hershey 9-0 with a pair of hat tricks by Vasily Ponomorev and Ville Koivunen who had four goals. Koivunen (15-24-39) is tops in the AHL among rookie scorers. Reinforcements for the Baby Pens have arrived while veteran goaltender Tristan Jarry has been recalled to Pittsburgh. Joel Blomqvist is back as are Ponomorev and Emil Bemstrom (20-24-44) who is second in the AHL in scoring. Corey Andonovski has been traded to St. Louis in return for Mathias Laferrière from Springfield.
The Phantoms have zero wins in five tries at Wilkes-Barre entering the last northeast Pennsylvania visit of the season. Lehigh Valley is 2-5-1 against the Penguins overall this year. This is Game 9 out of 12 in the season series.
Scoring Leaders
Phantoms
Samu Tuomaala 10-20-30
Olle Lycksell 13-15-28
Jacob Gaucher 14-14-28
Alexis Gendron 13-7-20
Rodrigo Abols 9-10-19
x – Anthony Richard 8-11-19
Zayde Wisdom 6-11-17
W-B/Scranton
Emil Bemstrom 20-24-44
Ville Koivunen 15-24-39
Boris Katchouk 15-21-36
Vasily Ponomarev 11-16-27
Mac Hollowell 1-25-26
Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 18.1%, 16th / PK 80.7%, 22rd / PP vs. WBS, 6-26, 23.1%
W-B/Scranton – PP 24.7%, 1st / PK 84.1%, 9th / PP vs. LV, 9-34, 26.5%
SEASON SERIES
10/18/24 Away L 3-4
10/19/24 Home L 0-3
11/6/24 Away OTL 1-2 (OT)
11/8/24 Home W 5-3
11/13/24 Home W 4-3 (OT)
12/21/24 Away L 2-7
12/27/24 Away L 2-3
1/26/25 Away L 1-5
2/14/25 Away
2/16/25 Home
3/14/25 Home
3/16/25 Home
SERIES LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Samu Tuomaala 0-5-5
Alexis Gendron 4-0-4
Oscar Eklind 3-1-4
Ethan Samson 2-2-4
W-B/Scranton
Emil Bemstrom 6-5-11
Boris Katchouk 5-4-9
Ville Koivunen 2-5-7
Mac Hollowell 0-6-6
Tristan Broz 5-0-5
COMING UP – The Phantoms return to PPL Center Saturday, February 15 against the Syracuse Crunch featuring Bucket Hats for the first 2,500 fans from Capital Blue. Sunday, February 16 at 3:05 is meLvin’s Birthday when the Phantoms host the Penguins.
UPCOMING
Friday, February 14 (7:05) – Phantoms at W-B/Scranton Penguins
Saturday, February 15 (7:05) – Syracuse Crunch at Phantoms – Bucket Hats from Capital Blue. Margaritaville Night. Live Music “Jimmy and the Parrots”
Sunday, February 16 (3:05) – W-B/Scranton Penguins at Phantoms – meLVin’s Birthday with his mascot friends!
Wednesday, February 19 (8:00) – Phantoms at Grand Rapids Griffins
Friday, February 21 (8:00) – Phantoms at Grand Rapids Griffins
Saturday, February 22 (8:00) – Phantoms at Rockford IceHogs
