PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Hershey, Game 31
Happy New Year!
TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (15-11-4) carry a three-game point streak (2-0-1) into their 2025 swan song on New Year’s Eve to close out a six-game homestand.
The fourth-place Phantoms dramatically scored two goals in the final seconds to snag a standings point against the Charlotte Checkers on Monday. Hershey (14-13-1) has dropped three in a row and holds down fifth place in the division, five points behind the Phantoms.
This is Game 31 of the 2025-26 season. It is also Game 6 out of 10 in the I-78 rivalry series with all five previous encounters having been decided by one goal. Hershey has won four out of five in the season series.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for tonight’s game at www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME – The Phantoms never call it until the game is over. Monday night at PPL Center, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms trailed 2-0 with time running out, but amazingly, scored twice in the last 32 seconds to force overtime. Alexis Gendron’s deflection got the Phantoms on the board. Then it was Tucker Robertson, with no time to spare, wheeling behind the Charlotte net to stuff in the wrap-around with just 1.7 seconds remaining to bring the PPL Center crowd to a roar as the Phantoms had somehow, incredibly, forced overtime. They almost pulled it off in the unusual Monday night clash which was the makeup of a Saturday night postponement caused due to Charlotte Checkers travel delays. But Nolan Foote (6th) buried it in overtime for the Charlotte Checkers who won 3-2. The Phantoms were being outshot 32-7 with three minutes remaining but were still in the game due to Carson Bjarnason who was outstanding with one tremendous denial after another including several clean breakaway and odd-man chances which ultimately allowed the Phantoms to earn the valuable standings point via their last-second heroics.
SHOOTOUT SPECIALISTS – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms lead the AHL with four shootout wins and their seven total victories after regulation (including three overtime wins) also tops the circuit. Tucker Robertson is tied for the league lead with three shootout goals, all since December 13. Carson Bjarnason is tied for the league lead with three shootout wins and is also tops with 17 shootout saves on 20 attempts against. Aleksei Kolosov picked up his first shootout win yesterday. The Phantoms’ last three victories since December 13 have all been by shootout beginning with an eight-round epic at Rochester.
WORKING OVERTIME – The Phantoms have gone to overtime or shootout in three consecutive games and are second in the league with 11 OT contests trailing only Calgary (12). Six of tghe last 11 games have gone to overtime beginning with a November 29 shootout contest against Laval. The Phantoms are 3-2 in overtimes with Lane Pederson, Cooper Marody and Alex Bump also striking for winners in extra-time this year. The Phantoms are 4-2 in shootouts and a re combined 7-4 in games going past regulation.
A BEVY OF BLUELINERS – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are currently enjoying an abundance of defensemen but the situation also comes with its fair share of challenges and the implementation of a rotation to ensure playing time for everyone. Lehigh Valley has nine healthy defensemen all on NHL contracts. Three defensmen were acquired by trade after the season began: Max Guenette (from Ottawa/Belleville), Christian Kyrou (from Dallas/Texas), and Roman Schmidt (from Tampa Bay/Syracuse). 20-year-old first-rounder Oliver Bonk also got a late start on the season making his pro debut in December after beginning the campaign on the shelf with an injury.
Five Lehigh Valley defensemen have NHL experience this season or last season including Max Guenette, Adam Ginning, Helge Grans, Ty Murchison and Egor Zamula.
THREE IS A MAGIC NUMBER – The Phantoms have gone 13-1-2 when scoring three or more goals in a game. Lehigh Valley is 10-0-1 when holding opponents to fewer than three goals in a game.
FUTURE PHANTOMS – Six Flyers draft picks and possible future Phantoms are currently playing on the international stage at the World Juniors Champions in Minnesota. Two of the prospects have been named captains for their respectrive countries with Porter Martone of Canada and Jack Berglund of Sweden both bestowed the honor of wearing the C while Heikki Ruohonen is an alternate captain for Finland.
One of Lehigh Valley’s player’s from last year, Jett Luchanko, is at the tournament as well representing Canada for a second consecutive season.
Flyers draft picks at 2026 World Juniors:
USA – Shane Vansaghi, Rd 2 (Michigan State)
Canada – Porter Martone, Rd 1 (Michigan State)
Canada – Jett Luchanko, Rd 1 (Brantford – OHL)
Sweden – Jack Berglund, Rd 2 (Färjestad BK – SHL)
Finland – Heikki Ruohonen, Rd 4 (Harvard)
Finland – Max Westergard, Rd 5 (Frölunda HC – SHL)
BRING ON THE BEARS – Hershey (14-13-1) comes to town for the final game of 2025. The Bears have dropped three striaght including a last-minute loss against Charlotte on Sunday. The fourth-place Phantoms hold a five-point advantage over fifth-place Hershey although the Bears have two games in hand. 19-year-old talent Ilya Protas (12-11-23) paces the Bears’ offense and has scored 2-4-6 against the Phantoms. He’s fifth in AHL rookie scoring. 20-year-old second-rounder Andrew Cristall (5-17-22) is second among AHL rookies in assists. In the WHL, Cristall racked up an incredible 132 points with the Spokane Chiefs and Kelowna Rockets to beat out Gavin McKenna for the league scoring crown. Former Phantom Louie Belpedio (3-11-14) along with 35-year-old captain Aaron Ness anchor the blueline. The Bears have taken four out of five in the season series with all five games going down to the wire and being decided by a single goal. Former Anaheim Duck Brett Leason (5-8-13) is back with Hershey now and he scored the winner with just 3:30 left in a 3-2 final in the last meeting on December 7 at Giant Center.
SCORING LEADERS
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Alex Bump 7-13-20
Lane Pederson 9-11-20
x – Anthony Richard 8-10-18
x – Denver Barkey 8-8-16
x – Carl Grundstrom 6-9-15
Alexis Gendron 5-9-14
Christian Kyrou 4-10-14
Charlotte Scoring Leaders
Ilya Protas 12-11-23
Andrew Cristall 5-17-22
Louie Belpedio 3-11-14
Bogdan Trineyev 7-6-13
Brett Leason 5-8-13
Special Teams PP / PK / Season Series PP
LV 20.0%, 14th / 77.7%, 29th / 3-16, 18.8%
CLT 18.2%, 15th / 83.2%, 9th / 4-18, 22.2%
Season Series vs. Hershey Bears: (1-2-2)
10/24/25 Home W 5-4
10/25/25 Away SOL 3-4 (SO)
11/15/25 Home L 3-4
11/16/25 Away OTL 1-2 (OT)
12/7/25 Away L 2-3
12/31/25 Home
1/24/26 Home
2/20/26 Away
2/21/26 Away
3/28/26 Home
LOOKING AHEAD –
Before the World’s Largest Puck Drop takes place on New Year’s Eve outside PPL Center at the corner of Seventh and Hamilton, the puck drops inside as the Phantoms take on the rival Hershey Bears with a special 3:05 p.m. start time on Wednesday, December 31. Family-friendly activities fill the concourse as we ring in 2026 in glowing fashion!
The Phantoms have a four-game road swing to open 2026 beginning with a Saturday, January 3 clash at the Belleville Senators.
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