PREVIEW: Phantoms at Bruins, Game #16

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (6-6-3) at Providence Bruins (7-7-2)
Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, RI
Saturday, November 23, 2024 (7:05 p.m.) – Game #16

TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (6-6-3) wrap up a two-game weekend set and aim for a split in their series with Providence Bruins (7-7-2). The Bruins took the series opener last night in a 3-0 decision. Tonight is Lehigh Valley’s last game in Providence this season. The Bruins will be in Allentown on Wednesday, December 18.

Lehigh Valley has dropped three straight on the other side of a seven-game point streak and three-game win streak. The P-Bruins ended a three-game winless skid and are on the rise now with points in six of their last seven games (4-1-2).

LAST TIME – Brandon Bussi Magic bedeviled the Phantoms again as the big lefty goaltender posted a 30-save shutout in a 3-0 win for the Bruins on Friday night in Providence. The Phantoms largely carried the play especially in the second and third periods but Bussi only got stronger as the game progressed while improving to 8-1-2 all-time against Lehigh Valley. Bussi saved his very best for last when Jacob Gaucher’s point-blank rebound try from the right-wing side of the cage was denied on a diving effort across that knocked the paddle out of his hands and sent it helicoptering away with just 1:45 remaining. Fabian Lysell (2nd) and Frederic Brunet (2nd) scored in the first period and then former Philadelphia Flyer Tyler Pitlick finished the win with an empty-netter as the Phantoms were shutout for a second time this season.

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/

BRINGING THE RIZZ – Friday night’s game marked the belated pro debut of rookie center Massimo Rizzo who centered Lehigh Valley’s fourth line. The two-time national champion at the University of Denver was a seventh-round selection of the Carolina Hurricanes before he was acquired in a trade by the Flyers two summers ago. Rizzo had an appendectomy surgical procedure following the final preseason game which sidelined him for approximately six weeks before he was able to play in his first AHL game.

RICHARD RETURNS – The Philadelphia Flyers have loaned forward Anthony Richard to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Richard has played in seven games with Lehigh Valley scoring 4-5-9 with his most recent game coming on November 2 at Springfield when he scored 1-2-3. He played in seven games with the Flyers on his recall scoring 2-4-6 including a four-game point streak from November 9 through November 16. The 27-year-old from Trois-Rivieres, Quebec was leading the Phantoms in scoring at the time of his recall and carries a five-game point streak back with the Phantoms having scoring 3-4-7 since October 25. Richard scored 25 goals for Providence last year and 30 goals for Laval the season before that. In 488 career AHL games, Richard has over 300 points on 148 goals and 161 assists for 309 points.

CAPTAIN GAHAGEN – With goaltender Eetu Makiniemi on the sidelines with an injury, Parker Gahagen has been summoned from the Reading Royals to serve as the team’s second goaltender. Last year with Lehigh Valley, the Army Captain out of Buffalo, NY performed very well in 18 games going 7-8-3, 2.59, .914 in the longest AHL stint of his career. Gahagen’s accomplishments and tour include four years at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he starred for the hockey team. Upon graduation, he was commissioned into the Army as a Second Lieutenant. While stationed at Fort Carson, CO, Gahagen was assigned to the 1st Strike Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division where he received two Army commendation medals. He was honorably discharged from active duty in 2022 at the rank of Captain but remains active in the reserves.

Gahagen, 31, has played in 30 career AHL games with Lehigh Valley, Milwaukee, Colorado, Toronto and San Jose going a combined 12-12-3, 2.87, .903.  The well-traveled backstop has played in 122 career ECHL games with Reading, Jacksonville, Florida, Utah and Newfoundland going 70-35-6, 2.36, .920.

TRANSACTIONS – 
– Nov 18 – Helge Grans (D), Recalled to Philadelphia
– Nov 18 – Parker Gahagen (G), Recalled to Phantoms from Reading (ECHL)
– Nov 18 – Matt Brown (F), Loaned by Phantoms to Reading (ECHL)
– Nov 21 – Sawyer Boulton (F), Loaned by Phantoms to Reading
– Nov 21 – Mason Primeau (F), Loaned by Phantoms to Reading
– Nov 21 – Sam Sedley (D), Recalled to Phantoms from Reading
– Nov 23 – Anthony Richard (F), Loaned to Phantoms from Flyers

PHANTASTIC

– Olle Lycksell had a three-game goal streak, longest on the Phantoms this season, and also had a four-game point streak (3-3-6) that was ended at Providence on Friday. Lycksell leads the AHL with 66 shots on goal. He had 49 shots before scoring his belated first goal of the season on November 8 against Utica with a game-tying marker with 3:31 left in the team’s come-from-behind overtime win.

– Defenseman Hunter McDonald is tied for second among rookies with a +9 rating. The Round 6 selection in 2022 out of Northeastern University has also shown his toughness with three fighting majors this season. McDonald recently had a four-game point streak from November 2 through November 9.

– The Phantoms are second in the AHL on the power play at 24.5% trailing only Charlotte (37.5%). But the Phantoms are currently in an 0-for-7 drought over their three-game losing skid.

– Lehigh Valley is second in the AHL with 33.7 shots per game trailing only Rochester (34.2). The Phantoms have 30 or more shots on goal in 11 out of 15 games this season

POWERING INTO PROVIDENCE – Providence (7-7-2) has had a bumpier start this season but has been heating up with points in six of the last seven games (4-1-2). Even during the team’s recent three-game winless skid, the P-Bruins were earning points with back-to-back overtime losses against the Cleveland Monsters.  Veteran Vinni Letteri (8-5-13) leads the offense and Georgii Merkulov (2-10-12) has been returned from Boston after playing in three games with the big club. He was an AHL All-Rookie Team member in 2022-23 with 24 goals and represented the Bruins at the AHL All-Star Classic last year on his way to 30 goals which was second-most in the Eastern Conference. Patrick Brown (3-5-8) is in his second season with Providence after playing two seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers (2021-23) scoring 6-10-16 in 87 games among his 150 games total in his NHL career. The former Charlotte captain won a Calder Cup with the Checkers in 2019.

First-rounder Fabian Lysell (2-5-7) is in his third season with Providence. 25-year-old Michael DiPietrro (5-2-2, 2,20, .921) has picked up the slack while Brandon Bussi has been slow to find his game this year. Ryan Mougenel is in his fourth season as head coach of Providence and has posted 42 or more wins in each of the last two seasons. This weekend marks the lone Providence appearance for the Phantoms

SCORING LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Samu Tuomaala 6-9-14
Olle Lycksell 3-8-11
Jacob Gaucher 6-4-10
x – Anthony Richard 4-5-9
Rodrigo Abols 3-5-8

Providence
Vinni Lettieri 8-5-13
Georgii Merkulov 2-10-12
Tyler Pitlick 5-6-11
x – Marc McLaughlin 5-5-10
Patrick Brown 3-5-8

Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 24.5%, 2nd / PK 83.3%, 13th
Providence – PP 15.2%, 24th / PK 82.8%, 15th

COMING UP –  The Phantoms’ road trip continues as they head over to Hartford for a Thanksgiving Eve clash with the Wolf Pack on Wednesday night. The Phantoms return to PPL Center for a pair of games next weekend including Phantoms Hat Night from Service Electric on Friday against Hershey and then Flyers Night with GRITTY on Saturday against Laval.

UPCOMING

Saturday, November 23 – Phantoms at Providence Bruins

Wednesday, November 27 – Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack

Friday, November 29 – Phantoms vs. Hershey Bears – Phantoms Ballcaps from SECTV. WFMZ-69 Phantoms Coat Drive

Saturday, November 30 – Phantoms vs. Laval Rocket – Flyers Night with GRITTY!

Wednesday, December 4 – Phantoms vs. Rockford IceHogs – Pregame Happy Hour

Saturday, December 7 – Phantoms vs. Hershey Bears – Teddy Bear Toss presented by Big Woody’s

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