PREVIEW: Phantoms at Charlotte, Game 71
Wrapping up the Season in the Steamy South
TODAY – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (30-34-6) look to finish off the season strong as they play a two-game series at the Charlotte Checkers (43-22-5) beginning with today’s 4:00 p.m. tilt. The season finale is tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. in a rematch.
The Phantoms have been eliminated from playoff contention following their Wednesday night loss at Springfield. Charlotte is locked into third place in the Atlantic Division and will host either Springfield or Hershey in the first round next week. Media materials for tonight’s game available here: www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms were playing meaningful hockey almost to the very end of the season and had pushed their way back into contention with a pair of thrilling wins in the final home games of the season. But the Orange and Black were unable to carry over the momentum into their big midweek showdown in Springfield as the Thunderbirds ran away with a 7-1 win. Springfield clinched its entry into the Calder Cup Playoffs. Unfortunately, Lehigh Valley was officially eliminated on Wednesday in a 7-1 loss at Springfield after having pulled tantalizingly close to the final spot entering the game. Noah Powell scored for a second consecutive game on a third-period breakaway off a gorgeous, long stretch-pass by Helge Grans. But it wasn’t nearly enough as Akil Thomas (7th, 8th) and Dillon Dube (17th, 18th) paced the T-Birds’ attack with a pair of goals apiece. Tucker Robertson and Oscar Eklind each had breakaway chances for the Phantoms in the first period and converting on either one of them could have changed the complexion of the contest.
THEY’RE BACK! – Six Phantoms players were recalled on Sunday and Monday with all suiting up in Tuesday’s season finale for the Philadelphia Flyers. All six have since been returned to Lehigh Valley. Oliver Bonk and Hunter McDonald both made their NHL debuts on Tuesday and recorded their first NHL points. Bonk recorded a goal and an assist in Philadelphia’s 4-2 win over Montreal while McDonald had an assist as well. Also returning to the Phantoms today are David Jiricek, Jacob Gaucher, Anthony Richard, and Aleksei Kolosov.
Oliver Bonk and Hunter McDonald became the fourth and fifth Lehigh Valley players to make their NHL debuts with the Flyers this season joining Ty Murchison, Denver Barkey and Alex Bump. 53 Phantoms players have made their debuts with the Flyers since the Phantoms arrived to the Lehigh Valley in 2014.
TRANSACTIONS – The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled goaltender Aleksei Kolosov from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and have also returned goaltender Carson Bjarnason to the Phantoms. Bjarnason had been recalled to the Flyers for one day, on Thursday, for the team’s practice. Additionally, the Phantoms have recalled goaltender Yaniv Perets from the Reading Royals of the ECHL. And forward Owen McLaughlin has been recalled by the Lehigh Valley Phantoms from the Reading Royals.
YAY FOR YANIV! – Goaltender Yaniv Perets has been recalled to the Phantoms and could play in his fourth game of the season this weekend. Perets, 26, is a Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec product who is a 6’1″ left-catching goaltender. He has played in three games this season with the Phantoms going 1-2-0, 3.21, .873. Perets has also played in 27 games with Reading going 14-8-4, 2.84, .910. Perets was just named ECHL Goaltender of the Week for a second time in the last three weeks going 1.01, 1.90, .946 in a pair of games against Wheeling.Perets is in his third season of professional hockey and has played 88 career ECHL games, going 44-31-8, 2.82, .906, while also playing seven AHL games with Lehigh Valley and the Chicago Wolves, going 2-4-1, 3.64, .857. He also has appeared in two NHL games with the Carolina Hurricanes. Perets won an NCAA Frozen Four Championship with Quinnipiac University in 2023 and set an NCAA record with a 1.17 goals-against average as a freshman in 2021-22 on his way to an amazing 21 career shutouts in just two seasons.
AWARDS – Lane Pederson was honored with the annual Tony Voce Memorial Award as the team’s most valuable player as voted on by his teammates. Carson Bjarnason was recognized as Lehigh Valley’s Community Achievement Leader for his role as a Phantoms’ ambassador making several local appearances to schools and charitable groups.
KIDS TAKING OVER! – Jack Berglund became the fourth player from Philadelphia’s 2024 draft class to ink an entry-level deal and is the sixth prospect to sign with the Flyers in the last month, joining Porter Martone, Noah Powell, Cole Knuble, Alex Ciernik, and Riley Thompson.
JUMPIN’ JACK BERGLUND – Center Jack Berglund made his North American pro debut last Saturday and the 20-year-old immediately impressed in his first reps with the Phantoms. The new arrival continued his debut weekend with a slick backhand move in Round 3 of the shootout to beat former Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov in a shootout win against Cleveland in the home finale.
The Philadelphia Flyers signed center Jack Berglund to a three-year entry-level contract earlier last week and he joined the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on a PTO (professional tryout) for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. Berglund was selected by the Flyers in the second round (51st overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft. The new arrival also celebrated his 20th birthday yesterday. He captained Sweden to its first World Juniors gold medal since 2012, finishing tied for the team lead in scoring with 10 points (3g-7a) in seven games while also leading the tournament with a +9 rating. The Karlstad, Sweden native recently completed his first full season in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with Färjestad BK, scoring 7-5-12 in 40 games.
CHECKING ON THE CHECKERS – The Checkers are already locked in for third place in the Atlantic Division so their motivation is potentially lacking ahead of their first-round series which they will host. Latvia product and second-year pro Sandis Vilmanis (16-19-35) has excelled since his return from the Florida Panthers a month ago with an overtime winner against the Phantoms and a four-goal game against Hershey on Sunday in a 6-1 victory. Second-year pro out of Minn-Fuluth Ben Steeves (22-22-44) paces the fast-paced offense. Big Cooper Black (25-12-4, 2.50, .902) out of Dartmouth College is having a strong second professional season. The Checkers have received some major reinforcements from the Florida Panthers with the recent returns of EIGHT players for the team’s most complete lineup and roster all season. Joining the club yesterday were forwards Nolan Foote, Noah Gregor, and Wilmer Skoog along with defensemen Marek Alscher, Mike Benning, Tobias Bjornfot, Mikulus Hovorka and Ludvig Jansson. The last visit to North Carolina did not treat the Phantoms kindly with 5-1 and 6-2 losses on March 21 and 22. Hot starts for Charlotte have been the hallmark of the series as the Checkers have outscored the Phantoms 15-2 in the first period over the previous six matchups.
SCORING LEADERS
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Lane Pederson 23-25-48
Anthony Richard 18-26-44
Jacob Gaucher 20-16-36
Christian Kyrou 9-24-33
Tucker Robertson 13-15-28
Zayde Wisdom 14-12-26
Phil Tomasino 7-19-26
Charlotte Scoring Leaders
Ben Steeves 22-22-44
Jack Devine 18-24-42
Wilmer Skoog 18-19-37
Sandis Vilmanis 16-19-35
Brian Pinho 14-20-34
Nolan Foote 14-18-32
Special Teams PP / PK
LV 18.8%, 15th / 77.5%, 29th / PP vs. CLT 7-24, 29.2%
CLT 14.2%, 29th / 84.8%, 3rd / PP vs. LV 1-19, 5.3%
Season Series vs Charlotte Checkers: (0-4-2)
12/29/25 Home OTL 2-3 (OT)
1/23/26 Home L 5-8
3/6/26 Home L 3-5
3/7/26 Home OTL 4-5 (OT)
3/21/26 Away L 1-5
3/22/26 Away L 2-6
4/18/26 Away
4/19/26 Away
SERIES LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Max Guenette 0-6-6
Jacob Gaucher 2-3-5
Oscar Eklind 2-2-4
Anthony Richard 2-2-4
Charlotte
Brian Pinho 4-3-7
Nolan Foote 3-4-7
Noah Gregor 4-2-6
Nate Smith 3-3-6
Cooper Black 2-0-0, 2.46, .907
LOOKING AHEAD – The Phantoms conclude the season tomorrow afternoon in a rematch at Charlotte at 1:00 p.m.
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