PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Syracuse, Game 47
Winter Games Weekend
TODAY – Winter Games Weekend continues for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (21-21-4) with an afternoon showdown against the Syracuse Crunch (27-16-3), AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning We will celebrate the international spectacle with our own games and competition and fun while the Phantoms playes dazlle in their specialty pregame jerseys. Today’s contest also includes Postgame Photographs with the players on the ice presented by NJM Insurance. All fans are welcome to stick around after the game to meet some of their favorite Phantoms players!
Today is Game 47 of the 2025-26 season. There are just 26 games to go in the final two months of the regular season before the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for tonight’s game at www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms delivered a strong opening frame and energized PPL Center with an early surge on Valentine’s Night, but costly second-period breakdowns swung momentum sharply as the Cleveland Monsters pulled away for a 5–2 victory to open Winter Games Weekend. Oscar Eklind (2nd) and Tucker Robertson (9th) both tallied for Lehigh Valley in the opening salvo. Eklind’s came from hard work on the forecheck with linemates Zayde Wisdom and Garrett Wilson. Rogbertson’s individual effort found him weaving to beneath the right dot before roofing one so hard the puck didn’t even come out. Cleveland was led by multi-point nights from Justin Pearson and Mikael Pyyhtiä. Will Butcher opened the scoring for Cleveland less than one minute into the contest. Justin Pearson (9th) scored the team’s third goal in a row in the second period with a shortie down low and the Crunch pushed in a late empty-netter to cap the night.
BUMP IS BACK! – Saturday marked the return tothe lineup of young prospect Alex Bump who had missed 16 of the previous 17 games due to injury as well as the last 13 in a row. Since initially getting dinged up on December 19, Bump had played in just one game, on January 3 at Belleville.
“I’m just happy, honestly, to be back out there,” Bump said. “It was getting frustrating in those last few weeks, but it feels good to be back out there trying to help.”
Bump has scored 7-13-20 in 29 games in his first full rookie season. But the Prio Lake, Minnesota product also played for the Phantoms at the end of last season when he joined the club shortly after a Frozen Four appearance and NCAA Championship with Western Michigan.
ALL-STAR KYROU – Christian Kyrou showcased his abilities on the league’s biggest midseason stage at the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic in Rockford, Illinois. The slick, puck-moving defenseman helped the Eastern Conference capture the Skills Competition crown, participating in both the Puck Control Relay and Rapid Fire contests. He later delivered a highlight-reel moment of his own in the Breakaway Relay with a slick finish. In the All-Star Challenge, he delivered a pair of assists including a beautiful cross-ice pass to Charlotte Checkers forward Ben Steeves for a quick-strike finish. He added another assist in the third and final game of the evening with a crisp feed to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Tristan Broz, who found Charlotte’s Jack Devine.
SEVIGNY SIGNS – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have signed defenseman Vincent Sevigny to a standard AHL contract for the remainder of the 2025-26 season and for the 2026-27 season. Sevigny, 24, had been with the Phantoms earlier this season on a PTO (Professional Try Out) and also was with the team in the preseason. The Quebec City, Que. native played in six games with Lehigh Valley in October and November. He has also played in five games with Syracuse as well as five games in the ECHL with the Reading Royals. Sevigny has played in 102 AHL games with Bridgeport, Laval, Lehigh Valley and Syracuse scoring 6-16-22. He has also played in 54 career ECHL games with Trois-Rivieres and Reading scoring 5-18-23. Sevigny won a Kelly Cup with the Trois-Rivieres Lions last year.
UPCOMING MILESTONES –
– Anthony Richard, 198 pro assists
– Phil Tomasino, 199 pro points
– Max Guenette, 98 pro assists
STICK IT TO SYRACUSE – Syracuse (27-16-4) has found its top form again to move back into second place in the North via a four-game win streak while also racking up points in nine of the last 11 (7-2-1). The success continued last night with a 5-0 thrashing of the Penguins in Wilkes-Barre backe by Brandon Halverson’s 16 saves. A trio of former Flyers and Phantoms returns to PPL Center led by Jakob Pelletier (20-29-49) who played 25 games for the Flyers last year and currently rates second in the AHL in scoring. Brendan Furry (9-12-21) scored 17-23-40 in 121 games with the Phantoms over parts of three seasons. Ethan Samson (1-9-10) joined Syracuse after a trade for Roman Schmidt on December 8. University of Michigan product Dylan Duke (22-16-38) is a dangerous sniper. Former Arizona first-rounder Conor Geekie (13-31-44) is thriving in his second pro season after spending the majority of last year with Tampa Bay. 20-year-old second rounder Ethan Gauthier (6-6-12) is another strong prospect. The Crunch have a pair of wins against Lehigh Valley in the two previous encounters. Syracuse is allowing just 2.6 goals per game, fifth in the AHL.
SCORING LEADERS
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Lane Pederson 16-15-31
Anthony Richard 13-14-27
Christian Kyrou 7-18-25
Alex Bump 7-13-20
Alexis Gendron 8-11-19
Syracuse Scoring Leaders
Jason Pelletier 20-29-39
Connor Geekie 13-31-44
Dylan Duke 22-16-38
Nick Abruzzese 8-29-37
Mitchell Chaffee 15-21-36
Special Teams PP / PK
LV 18.4%, 18th / 75.6%, 32nd (PP vs. CLE 2/7, 28.6%)
SYR 23.1%, 5th / 80.6%, 19th (PP vs. LV 1/13, 7.7%)
LOOKING AHEAD – The Orange and Black travel to Chocolatetown for a pair of games next weekend before returning to PPL Center on Wednesday, February 25 against the first-place Providence Bruins in the opener of a three-game homestand.
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