October 31, 2023
Lehigh Valley, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (3-4-0) have grown into their 2023-24 campaign and now enter a busy stretch of November contests. The Phantoms are at home on Friday night in a rematch against the Hartford Wolf Pack which is sandwiched between a pair of away contests on Wednesday and Saturday at Hershey and Springfield. Friday’s game is also Swiftie Takeover Night as the Phantoms and Wolf Pack will undoubtedly have some “Bad Blood” following last week’s heavy and hard-hitting clash.
WEEKLY RECAP
Saturday, October 28, 2023
Bears 4 – Phantoms 0
The Phantoms poured on 32 shots against Hershey goaltender Clay Stevenson but were unable to break through in a shutout setback in Chocolate Town on Saturday. It was the first shutout against the Phantoms in 80 games encompassing two seasons. Pierrick Dube scored twice for Hershey while former Mike Vecchione and Logan Day (empty netter) tallied as well. The Phantoms had eight power plays but still couldn’t cash in.
Sunday, October 29, 2023
Wolf Pack 4 – Phantoms 1
Playing with heavy hearts following the death of former Phantom, 29-year-old Adam Johnson, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms fell in a Sunday evening decision at PPL Center to the visiting Hartford Wolf Pack. Olle Lycksell scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season to pull the Phantoms to within a goal in the third but Hartford pulled away with two late goals to seal it. 34-year-old NHL veteran Riley Nash led the Pack with a pair of power-play goals while first-rounder Brennan Othmann recorded three assists.
TRANSACTIONS
Oct 31 – Felix Sandstrom (G) – Conditioning Loan to Lehigh Valley from Philadelphia
Oct 31 – Parker Gahagen (G) – Loaned from Lehigh Valley to Reading
Oct 31 – Matt Brown (F) – Loaned from Lehigh Valley to Reading
Oct 30 – Will Zmolek (D) – Recalled to Lehigh Valley from Reading
Oct 26 – Mason Millman (F) – Recalled to Lehigh Valley from Reading
Oct 26 – Emil Andrae (D) – Loaned to Lehigh Valley from Philadelphia
Oct 26 – Louie Belpedio (D) – Recalled to Philadelphia
Oct 26 – Victor Mete (D) – Recalled to Philadelphia
PHANTASTIC!
- Lehigh Valley had a power-play goal in each of its first five games before recording zero PPG last weekend.
- The Phantoms had a streak of six consecutive games with 31 or more shots on goal before registering just 21 shots on Sunday
- The Phantoms have 90 shots on goal in the second period which is most of all AHL teams
- Olle Lycksell (6-0-6) has scored all six of his goals in the last five games and is tied for third in the league in lamplighters.
- Tanner Laczynski (1-6-7) has a four-game point streak and leads the team in scoring but missed both games last weekend due to illness
- The Phantoms were 2-0-0 on Sundays before the loss to Hartford last weekend
- Lehigh Valley leads the AHL with three shorthanded goals. The Phantoms scored all three in the same game on October 15 against Belleville to tie a franchise record.
UPCOMING
Wednesday, November 1, 2023 (7:00)
Giant Center, Hershey, PA
Phantoms at Hershey Bears
The Phantoms return to Chocolate Town to Hershey (6-2-0) on Wednesday following their recent clash in Chocolate Town on Saturday. The Phantoms dropped a 4-0 decision on their last excursion down I-78.
Hershey completed a big weekend with a 6-1 thumping of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Sunday.
Veteran Mike Sgarbossa (3-6-9) leads the defending Calder Cup Champs. Ethen Frank (5-3-8) is picking up where he left off following his sensational 30-goal rookie campaign. The Western Michigan product scored nine goals against the Phantoms last season including a hat trick in the 2022-23 season finale. Former Phantom Mike Vecchione (3-3-6) scored against his former team on Saturday and also had the Calder Cup-clinching goal in overtime of Game 7 against Coachella Valley last June.
Several former Phantoms are part of the Hershey roster including Mike Vecchione, Logan Day, Matt Strome and also Garrett Roe who played for the Adirondack Phantoms 2011-13.
Friday, November 3, 2023 (7:05)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Phantoms vs. Hartford W0lf Pack
Hartford (5-2-0) returns to Allentown on Swiftie Takeover Night at PPL Center. The Wolf Pack started the season 4-0-0 but lost decisions to Springfield and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last week before bouncing back with a 4-1 win at PPL Center in a feisty and physical battle which included Garrett Wilson dropping the gloves with Matt Rempe in a heavyweight tilt.
The New York Rangers’ affiliate tops the Eastern Conference in defense at just 2.00 goals allowed per game.
Goaltenders Louis Domingue (3-1-0, 1.75, .934) and Dylan Garand (2-1-0, 2.05, .939) each have a win against Lehigh Valley.
30-year-0ld captain Jonny Brodzinski (6-5-11) paces the offense and has two goals against Lehigh Valley while former Laval captain Alex Belzile (3-5-8) is next. 34-year-old NHL veteran of over 600 games Riley Nash had two power-play goals against the Phantoms last Sunday.
Saturday, November 4, 2023 (7:05)
MassMutual Center, Springfield, MA
Phantoms at Springfield Thunderbirds
Springfield (4-4-0) bounced back from a shaky 0-for-3 weekend to rack up three consecutive wins. Lehigh Valley bested the T-Birds twice on October 20 and October 22 by scores of 5-2 and 3-2. Olle Lycksell had a hat trick at Springfield on October 20 and has four goals in the two meetings.
Adam Gaudette leads the AHL with nine goals which includes three against the Phantoms. Feisty Australian Nathan Walker (4-6-10) had a hat trick against the Phantoms two seasons ago. 30-year-old Matthew Peca (2-7-9) is the team’s new captain following the off-season retirement of Tommy Cross.
This is Game 3 out of 6 in the season series and the Phantoms will return to Springfield in just a few days for a morning contest on Wednesday, November 8.
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Tanner Laczynski 1-6-7
Olle Lycksell 56-0-6
Cooper Marody 2-3-5
Samu Tuomaala 1-3-4
Ronnie Attard 1-2-3
Elliot Desnoyers 1-2-3
Adam Ginning 1-2-3
Garrett Wilson 1-2-3
Phantoms Tickets are available HERE
UPCOMING –
Wednesday, November 1 (7:00) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Hershey Bears
Friday, November 3 (7:05) – Hartford Wolf Pack at Lehigh Valley Phantoms – SWIFTIE Takeover Night!
Saturday, November 4 (7:05) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Springfield Thunderbirds