Lehigh Valley, Pa. — With two goals and an assist for three points, a plus-three rating and 14 shots across three games this past weekend, Lehigh Valley Phantoms defenseman Andy Welinski has been named the PSECU Player of the Week for the second time this season.
The Phantoms began another three-in-three weekend with a game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Friday, February 14, inside PPL Center in downtown Allentown.
Welinski put Lehigh Valley on the board first as he scored his sixth of the season at the 11:16 mark of the opening frame. As forward Kyle Criscuolo rounded out to the left of the Bridgeport net, he fired a pass out front where Welinski was able to get his stick on it and redirect a shot to the top right-hand corner of the net.
Does this make you Andy baby? pic.twitter.com/1MPaac9c7F
— Lehigh Valley Phantoms (@LVPhantoms) February 15, 2020
The Sound Tigers netted two goals of their own, back-to-back, but the Phantoms battled back to tie the game thanks to Tyler Wotherspoon’s fourth marker of the season at the 11:07 point of the third period. The game remained knotted until the horn sounded, sending Lehigh Valley into overtime for the first time since January 22.
In the overtime period, Welinski retrieved a loose puck in the Bridgeport end and dished a pass to Mikhail Vorobyev who skated in and scored to give the Phantoms a 3-2 win.
Oh Misha, you're so fine
You're so fine, you blow my mind
Hey Misha, hey Misha pic.twitter.com/SXgKFTUPRQ— Lehigh Valley Phantoms (@LVPhantoms) February 15, 2020
The two-point night marked Welinski’s fourth multi-point game of the season and saw him finish the night with a team-high seven shots on net and plus-three rating.
On Saturday, Lehigh Valley welcomed the Hartford Wolf Pack into PPL Center for the third time this season.
Similarly to Friday, Welinski got the scoring started for the Phantoms as he ripped home a shot from the right faceoff dot past Hartford goaltender Tom McCollum.
Morgan Frost and Max Willman assisted on this goal.
23 – 20 = 3
Andy Welinski scored the goal…
Andy Welinski wears number 3….
There are three points on a triangle… #IlluminatiConfirmed pic.twitter.com/v78XU2k7Vs
— Lehigh Valley Phantoms (@LVPhantoms) February 16, 2020
Welinski’s 7th of the season swelled his overall point total in 2019-20 to 16 (7G-9A) across just 33 games.
The Minnesota-Duluth product finished the three-game slate with a team-high 14 shots on net as the Phantoms picked up three of a possible six points on the weekend.
Season tickets offering a wide range of benefits as well as 21-Game and 13-Game plans are available by calling the Phantoms at 610-224-GOAL (4625).
And for the latest Phantoms news, visit www.phantomshockey.com or follow the team on Facebook, Twitter (@lvphantoms) and Instagram (@lehighvalleyphantoms).
Prior PSECU Players of the Week
2-10-20 Kyle Criscuolo
2-3-20 David Kase
1-20-20 Greg Carey
1-13-20 J-F Berube
1-6-20 Connor Bunnaman
12-30-19 Gerry Fitzgerald
12-23-19 Pascal Laberge
12-16-19 Chris Bigras
12-9-19 Alex Lyon
12-2-19 Andy Welinski
11-25-19 Tyler Wotherspoon
11-18-19 Greg Carey
11-11-19 Kyle Criscuolo
11-4-19 Morgan Frost
10-28-19 Nic Aube-Kubel
10-21-19 Morgan Frost
10-14-19 Joel Farabee