PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Penguins, Game 59
Phantoms Aim to Sweep Home-and-Home…and the Weekend!
TODAY – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (26-26-6) look to keep going as they continue their Push for the Playoffs taking on the rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (36-15-8) in a 3:05 p.m. matinee at PPL Center. Today’s game is the finale of a back-to-back, home-and-home stretch. The Phantoms rallied last night to dramatically take a 4-3 overtime in in Wilkes-Barre in the opener.
The Phantoms are now all alone in fifth place in the Atlantic Division having pushed ahead of the Bridgeport Islanders via back-to-back road wins this weekend at Syracuse and Wilkes-Barre. With 14 games remaining in the regular season, Lehigh Valley’s Magic Number is 25 points to punch its ticket for the postseason. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has now dropped five in a row (0-2-3) but is still holding second place in the Atlantic. The Penguins have a Magic Number of just three points to punch their ticket but, realistically, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is eyeing more than that and covets a Top 2 finish to earn a bye in the first round of the postseason.
Today is Game 59 of the regular season and is the eighth meeting between the Phantoms and Penguins. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton leads the season series 6-2.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for tonight’s game at www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME – Lane Pederson (20th, 21st) scored a late tying goal and then blasted home the overtime winner as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms pulled off another fantastic, late rally to down the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-3 on Saturday night. The Phantoms were down 3-1 with under 6:00 remaining. But Oliver Bonk (5th) scored on the power play to spark the comeback. Pederson tied the game with a 6-on-5 goal with just 1:04 left and then cranked home the winner with a 4-on-3 power-play blast with just 10 seconds remaining in overtime. Boris Katchouk (7th) also scored for the Phantoms in his return to Wilkes-Barre again his former team while David Jiricek racked up three assists in just his third game with his new team and Anthony Richard posted a three-helper night as well. Ryan Graves (3rd), Joona Koppanen (7th) and Finn Harding (2nd) all found the back of the net for the Baby Pens.
CAPTAIN GETS THE CALL – Lehigh Valley’s captain and all-time games-played leader has been recalled to the Philadelphia Flyers. Wilson could potentially play his first NHL game in seven years. The rugged 6’3″ winger from Barrie, Ontario has not played in the NHL since the 2018-19 season when he suited up in 50 regular-season and four Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Wilson has played in 84 career games in the NHL with Florida and Pittsburgh scoring 2-6-8 while also playing in 10 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Wilson’s last regular-season NHL game was 2,525 days ago on April 16, 2019 for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the New York Islanders. He is 12 years removed from his NHL debut on March 18, 2014 with the Florida Panthers against the San Jose Sharks. Wilson scored his first career NHL goal February 9, 2019 for Florida against Tampa Bay. Since his last game played in the NHL, Wilson has become a father to two young boys, Ty and Wes. Wilson turns 35 years old on Monday.
Wilson is in his sixth season with the Phantoms and his third season as the team’s captain after serving as alternate captain for three years. He is the all-time games played leader in Lehigh Valley history and rates fourth in Phantoms’ franchise history having skated in 341 games with the Phantoms. His 789 penalty minutes is also the most all-time in Lehigh Valley history. He rates fourth in career goals (62) and points (148) with Lehigh Valley.
POWELL’S PRO DEBUT – Noah Powell didn’t exactly have a lot of time to get acclimated. After arriving from Arizona State on Wednesday night and joining the team for one practice on Thursday, it was Go Time for his pro debut on Friday at Syracuse where the new arrival caused several disruptions on the forecheck while connecting on some sharp passes.
Powell, 21, is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound forward who recorded seven goals and five assists for 12 points in 34 games this season as a freshman with the Arizona State Sun Devils. The 2024 selection in the fifth round is from Northbrook, Illinois. Powell led the USHL with 43 goals playing for Dubuque in 2023-24. Powell was born with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. He uses hearing aids and reads lips to communicate.
MARODY TRADED – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have traded forward Cooper Marody to the Coachella Valley Firebirds in exchange for future considerations. Marody, 29, has scored eight goals with 17 assists for 23 points with the Phantoms this season in 41 games. He has played in parts of four seasons for the Phantoms amassing 162 career games and scoring 43 goals with 79 assists for 122 points. He is ninth all-time in Lehigh Valley history in points and is seventh all-time.
GINNING RECORD – Adam Ginning is closing in on Reece Wilcox’s Lehigh Valley record of 232 games by a defenseman. Ginning has played in 230 games with the Phantoms and can potentially tie the record on Wednesday against Providence. Drafted by the Flyers in the second round in 2018, the 6’4″ lefty shot has been a blueline mainstay with Lehigh Valley for four seasons scoring nine goals with 48 assists for 57 points. Ginning has also played in 16 career NHL games with the Philadelphia Flyers including five games this year when he made the team’s Opening Night roster out of training camp.
TRANSACTIONS –
3/7/26 Add Carson Golder (F) – Recalled by LV from Reading
3/7/26 Del Alex Bump (F) – Recalled to PHI
3/11/26 Add Noah Powell (F) – Signed ATO with Phantoms
3/12/26 Del Cooper Marody (F)– Traded to Coachella Valley for future considerations
3/13/26 Del Garrett Wilson (F) – Recalled to PHI
THE FLIGHTLESS FOWL-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (36-15-8) readies for a pair of rivalry showdowns in a home-and-home weekend set against the Phantoms. But the Penguins have run into some obstacles after various transactions and injuries and have now dropped five straight (0-2-3) following a strong 12-2-0 stretch since mid-January. The Penguins’ hold on second place in the division is down to just five points over Charlotte who also has one game-in-hand. Tristan Broz (14-20-34) leads the offense although the second-year pro has also been dinged up with injury. Ville Koivunen was AHL Player of the Month for February but has since been recalled to Pittsburgh along with Avery Hayes. Veteran Matt Dumba (6-14-20) had a hat trick against the Phantoms on February 6 in a wild 6-5 victory at PPL Center but has also been out of the lineup. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard (15-11-26) has six goals against the Phantoms this season. Rookie arrivals Tanner Howe (5-5-10 in 14 games) and Melvin Fernstrom (2-6-8 in 10 games) have been very good. Sergei Murashov (20-7-3, 2.18, .921) rastes fourth in the AHL in GAA and save percentage and is 3-0-0, 1.33, .958 against Lehigh Valley. The Penguins lead the season series 6-2. The two teams have four games remaining against each other and today marks Game 9 out of 12 in the season series.
SCORING LEADERS
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Lane Pederson 21-21-42
Anthony Richard 16-25-41
Christian Kyrou 8-24-32
Jacob Gaucher 16-14-30
x – Alex Bump 11-15-26
Tucker Robertson 12-13-25
W-B/Scranton Scoring Leaders
Tristan Broz 14-20-34
x – Ville Koivunen 11-22-33
Aidan McDonough 16-15-31
x – Avery Hayes 19-11-30
Atley Calvert 11-18-29
Special Teams PP / PK
LV 20.0%, 13th / 76.4%, 30th / PP vs. WBS, 8-36, 22.2%
WBS 15.7%, 25th / 80.4%, 21st / PP vs. LV 9-30, 30.0%
Season Series vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins: (2-6-0)
10/12/25 Home L 1-4
10/22/25 Away L 1-4
11/28/25 Away L 1-4
12/5/25 Away L 2-6
12/28/25 Home W 4-3 (SO)
2/1/26 Home L 2-6
2/6/26 Home L 5-6
3/14/26 Away W 4-3 (OT)
3/15/26 Home
3/29/26 Away
4/3/26 Away
4/4/26 Home
LOOKING AHEAD – The Phantoms return to PPL Center for a pair of home games including a rematch against the Penguins on Sunday, March 15 followed by a showdown with the first-place Providence Bruins on Wednesday, March 18.
Lerhigh Valley travels to Charlotte next weekend for a two-game series against the Checkers on Saturday, March 22 at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 23 at 1:00 p.m.
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