One Point to Go!April 16, 2024
Allentown, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (30-30-9) have trimmed the Magic Number to just one point entering the final weekend of the regular season. The Phantoms can clinch as early as this Friday at Bridgeport and culminate their Push for the Playoffs presented by Provident Bank.
Lehigh Valley plays its final away game of the season in a rematch with the Islanders on Friday before returning to PPL Center for Saturday and Sunday contests to celebrate the conclusion of the team’s 10th Season of Phantoms in the Valley presented by Service Electric.
Sunday afternoon’s game is “Our Valley, Our Home” as we celebrate the fans and rev up the energy for what’s ahead!
LAST WEEK
April 12 – Hershey Bears 4 – Phantoms 1
April 13 – Phantoms 5 – Bridgeport Islanders 4 (OT)
THE WEEK AHEAD
Friday, April 19 (7:05) – Phantoms at Bridgeport Islanders
Saturday, April 20 (7:05) – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Phantoms
Sunday, April 21 (3:05) – Charlotte Checkers at Phantoms
WEEKLY RECAP
Friday, April 12
Hershey Bears 4 – Phantoms 1
Garrett Wilson (8th) officially got the Phantoms on the board in the 2nd period after a Cooper Marody goal in the first period had been disallowed. But the Hershey Bears pulled away in the third period on goals by Logan Day and Joe Snively to finish a 4-1 decision at GIANT Center. Lehigh Valley got itself in penalty trouble in the game. The Bears only registered one power-play goal but the Phantoms lost momentum in the second period with too much time on the penalty kill.
Saturday, April 13
Phantoms 5 – Bridgeport Islanders 4 (OT)
Louie Belpedio struck for the overtime winner after a great setup by Brendan Furry and “Los Fantasmas” trimmed their Magic Number to just one point. Tanner Laczynski had a pair of go-ahead goals including a conversion from the slot with just 5:28 left. But the resilient Islanders wouldn’t go away and tied the game with a 6-on-5 struke with just 35 seconds remaining by Brian Pinho.
Goaltender Alexei Kolosov shook off some rust and settled in nicely as the athletic and quick prospect made his North American debut in a 24-save performance. Kolosov did not allow any 5-on-5 goals in his first-career AHL game as Bridgeport scored twice on the power play, once on the penalty shot, and then at 6-on-5 at the end.
PLAYOFF FEVER
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have a Magic Number of one point to clinch a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Phantoms can make it official this Friday with a win or standings point at Bridgeport OR via a loss by the Springfield Thunderbirds.
The first round is a Best of 3 series and right now would see the Phantoms take on the rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 6 vs. 3 matchup in late April. But the Charlotte Checkers are in fourth-place and are still within range.
Lehigh Valley’s second-round matchup would be against first-place Hershey in a Best of 5 series.
NEW ADDITION
Goaltender Alexei Kolosov, 22, made his North American pro debut in Saturday’s game against Bridgeport and picked up the win with 24 saves in a 5-4 overtime triumph. Kolosov has joined the Phantoms from the Minsk Dinamo of the KHL where Philadelphia’s Round 3 selection in the 2021 NHL Draft was 22-21-3, 2.39, .907 with four shutouts for his hometown team in Minsk, Belarus. His resume also includes representing Belarus in international play, starting with his being named the top goaltender at the IIHF World Junior Championship Division I-A tournament in 2021.
WELCOME BACK
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have received six players from the Reading Royals of the ECHL who concluded their season on Saturday. Returning to the Phantoms are defensemen Mason Millman and Will Zmolek, forwards Matt Brown, Jacques Bouquot and Tyler Gratton, and goaltender Parker Gahagen.
BROOKS MAN OF THE YEAR
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are proud to announce that Adam Brooks has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Lehigh Valley community during the 2023-24 season. This is the second consecutive season he has won the award for the Phantoms. Adam Brooks embodies the qualities of a true leader both on and off the ice, exemplifying the values of sportsmanship and community engagement.
TEAM AND LEAGUE LEADERS
Garrett Wilson has accumulated 210 penalty minutes this year and is in position to lead the AHL for a second consecutive season.
J-R Avon is tied for the AHL lead with five shootout goals. Trey Fix-Wolansky of Cleveland also has five. Avon has gone 5-for-7 in the shootout this season.
Emil Andrae has 15 power-play assists which is first among AHL rookie defensemen and is second among AHL rookies overall trailing only Brennan Othmann of Hartford who has 17.
Some players have comfortable leads to take top honors for the Phantoms this season while some races are still too close to call.
Olle Lycksell continues to lead the team with 19 goals but Cooper Marody is right on his tail with 18 goals and Tanner Laczynski is still within range at 16 goals.
Marody has practically locked up the title for most assists with his 36 helpers on the year giving him an eight-point cushion over Samu Tuomaala who has 28.
Marody also has a comfortable lead in overall scoring with 54 points putting him 11 ahead of Tuomaala who has 43.
PHANTASTIC!
The Phantoms record when:
– Score 4 or more goals: 20-0-2
– Allow 2 or fewer goals: 18-6-1
– Lead After 1st period: 9-1-3
– Lead After 2nd period: 16-3-1
– One-Goal Games: 19-8-9
– Overtime: 8-6 / Shootout: 4-3
W-B/Scranton (38-23-9) is playing some of its best hockey of the season and had a seven-game winning streak snapped on Friday in a 4-1 loss at Hershey. The Phantoms are 4-6-1 against the Baby Pens but have dropped the last four contests against their northeast Pennsylvania rivals.
Fourth-place Charlotte (38-24-7) is still pressing for a three-seed entering the last weekend of the regular season. The Checkers are ending the campaign on a Pennsylvania Roadie with Wednesday and Saturday games at Hershey before the Sunday finale at Lehigh Valley.
