PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Bears, Game #14

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (6-4-3) vs. Hershey Bears (10-4-1)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Saturday, November 16, 2024 (7:05 p.m.) – Game #14

TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms aim to start another streak after falling in regulation for the first time in November as they host the first-place Hershey Bears, AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals. The Phantoms had their seven-game point streak and also their three-game win streak snapped last night. Hershey was streaking as well but its stretch of four consecutive wins was halted last night in a 6-1 loss to Bridgeport.

Tonight is Game 2 out of 10 in the season series. The Phantoms were victorious at GIANT Center on October 30 in a 2-1 decision. The Bears will come to Allentown three times over the next three weeks including upcoming visits on November 30 and December 7.

LAST TIME – The Phantoms fell one short of tying a team record for longest point streak as tey took a 4-3 loss at the Springfield Thunderbirds on Friday. Elliot Desnoyers scored his first goal of the season and Samu Tuomaala lit the lamp for his fifth and also his team-leading 13th points. Olle Lycksell is now on a three-game goal streak as his tally with under six minutes left pulled the Phantoms back to within contention but they couldn’t find the equalizer. Tyler Tucker scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period to break a 2-2 tie and Marcus Sylvegard scored twice for the T-Birds.

MEDIA MATERIALS – Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for both teams and the AHL at the following link.

https://www.phantomshockey.com/media-materials/

PHANTASTIC

– Second-year winger Samu Tuomaala has scored 3-6-9 on the power play which is tied for first in power play points with Trevor Carrick of Charlotte. Tuomaala also paces the Phantoms in overall scoring with 5-8-13. He scored 15-28-43 in 69 games while representing the Phantoms at the AHL All-Star Classic in his rookie season.

– Rookie winger Alexis Gendron cranked it up during the team’s recent three-game homestand with a pair of two-goal games, both against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The 20-year-old waited for his turn to jump into the lineup eventually making his season debut in Game 6. With five goals in just six games played, he has quickly impressed and has thrived in his role on the team’s second line with veterans Garrett Wilson and Rhett Gardner. The seventh-rounder in 2022 out of Coteau Du Lac, Quebec began last season with the Phantoms scoring five goals in 17 games played before he was returned to Major Juniors where he went on a run to the Memorial Cup with Drummondville.

– Rookie defenseman Hunter McDonald has a +9 rating which is tied for first among AHL rookies. The Northeastern University product by way of Fairport, NY recently had a four-game point streak including his first official pro goal on November 6 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The tall and tough 22-year-old was a Round 6 selection of the Flyers in 2022.

– Olle Lycksell’s 60 shots is most in the AHL. Lycksell is now on a three-game goal streak including a pair of pivotal strikes beginning with his tying goal on Saturday against Utica with 3:29 left followed by his first career overtime winner against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Wednesday. Lycksell had 10 shots in last Saturday’s game and finally scored his first goal of the captain on his 10th shot of the night and 50th shot of the season.

– Defenseman Ben Gleason made his Phantoms debut last Saturday vs. Utica and recorded an assist and then followed that up with a two-assist night on Wednesday with helpers on the tying and winning goals. After another assist on Friday at Springfield, Gleason is now on a combined seven-game point streak with Lehigh Valley and Bakersfield combined. The AHL veteran was acquired by the Philadelphia Flyers from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Ronnie Attard last Monday. Gleason is in his seventh season in the AHL having previously played 359 games with the Texas Stars and Bakersfield Condors scoring 40-137-177 in his career including 10-22-32 last year with Bakersfield.

– Lehigh Valley’s power play is converting at a 26,7% clip which is second-best in the AHL. The Phantoms are 6-for-21 in November.

– The Phantoms are averaging 34.6 shots per game which rates second in the AHL trailing only Rochester.

HERE COMES HERSHEY –  The Hershey Bears (10-4-1) are up to their old tricks again as the Chocolate and White occupy the top spot in the Atlantic Division.  But the Bears are licking their wounds after their four-game win streak came to a crashing halt on Friday in an embarrassing 6-1 defeat against last-place Bridgeport. The two-time defending Calder Cup Champs are aiming to become only the second team to “Three-Peat” in AHL history and the first since Springfield won three straight from 1960-62.

Lehigh Valley picked up an exciting 2-1 win at Hershey on October 30 via Jacob Gaucher’s sharp-angle strike that beat Hunter Shepard past the shoulder. Helge Grans also scored his first of the year and Cal Petersen was especially strong in a 29-save triumph.

Ethan Frank (11-4-15) is first in the AHL in goals and had 59 in his first two seasons with the Bears. 20-year-old first-rounder Ivan Miroshnichenko (7-7-14) is also pushing for a chance with Washington again. Penn State product Alex Limoges (3-9-12) has six power-play assists. Hunter Shepard (8-2-0, 2.10, .924) won AHL Goaltender of the Year honors (Baz Bastien Award) last season and was AHL Playoff MVP (Jack Butterfield Trophy) the year before. Five former Phantoms are on the Hershey roster including Logan Day, Garrett Roe (Adirondack), Brennan Saulnier, Matt Strome, Mike Vecchione.

The Bears will travel to Allentown three times in a three-week stretch including return visits on Friday, November 29 and Saturday, December 7.

SCORING LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Samu Tuomaala 5-8-13
Jacob Gaucher 6-4-10
Olle Lycksell 3-7-10
x – Anthony Richard 4-5-9
Oscar Eklind 4-3-7
Hunter McDonald 1-6-7
Alexis Gendron 5-1-6

Hershey
Ethen Frank 11-4-15
Ivan Miroshnichenko 7-7-14
Alex Limoges 3-9-12
Pierrick Dube 2-7-9
Mike Sgarbossa 1-8-9

Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 26.7%, 2nd / PK 83.3%, 13th
Hershey – PP 20.0%, 10th / PK 86.0%, 7th

COMING UP –  The Phantoms hit the road for three straight beginning with a pair of games at teh Providence Bruins next weekend.

UPCOMING

Saturday, November 16 – Hershey Bears at Phantoms – Saturday Night Hockey Live, DJ Angel B

Friday, November 22 – Phantoms at Providence Bruins

Saturday, November 23 – Phantoms at Providence Bruins

Wednesday, November 27 – Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack

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