AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms

Giroux, Voracek, Hakstol to Highlight Flyers Preseason Game at PPL Center

Published on September 14, 2015 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms News Release


Lehigh Valley, PA - 268 combined goals. 822 combined points. Five All-Star Game appearances. And five Bobby Clarke trophies as team MVP.

Those are the accolades for just two of the players fans can expect to see during the first-ever NHL game in the Lehigh Valley when the Philadelphia Flyers, parent club of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, battle the New York Islanders on Monday, September 21st at PPL Center.

"We've spoken with the Flyers and have been told that, barring injury, our fans can expect to see both [Claude] Giroux and [Jake] Voracek on the 21st," said Phantoms' co-owner Rob Brooks. "They're two of the premier talents in the game today and we're excited to welcome them and all the other incredible NHL players that will be on hand for the first-ever NHL game in the Lehigh Valley."

Click here to secure tickets to the Flyers vs. Islanders preseason showdown at PPL Center on Monday, September 21st at 7:05 PM.

Philadelphia's captain for each of the last three seasons, Giroux has paced the Flyers in scoring in four of the last five campaigns, including a 93-point season in 2011-12 in which he finished third among all NHLers in total points. Meanwhile, Voracek led Philadelphia and finished tied for fourth among all NHL skaters in scoring last year with a career-high 81 points and has produced three consecutive 20-goal campaigns.

But the NHL talent won't stop there. In fact, fans can expect to see a host of familiar names when the NHL comes to downtown Allentown.

"It's going to be at least eight established NHL guys, and there's a good chance it will be more than that," said Flyers President Paul Holmgren in an interview with The Morning Call's Gary Blockus. "The rules are you've got to dress at least eight NHL guys so I think the fans in Allentown will see a good mix of the roster."

But those superstars aren't the only thing fans have to look forward to. They'll also be a part of history.

"Dave Hakstol will be coaching the game in Allentown," Holmgren said. "He will be coaching his first NHL game that night."

Hakstol, who was announced as the 19th head coach in Flyers history in mid-May, spent the last 11 years at the University of North Dakota where he compiled 289 victories, seven Frozen Four appearances, and three regular season conference championships.

The game has already been met with incredible support in the Lehigh Valley from local corporate partners such as Embassy Bank, Gross McGinley Law, Haldeman Ford of Kutztown, Hook Seafood & Grille, The Wescoe School of Muhlenberg College, IBEW Local 375 and Yocco's.

"We know there's a lot of Flyers fans in the area," Holmgren said. "That's one of the things that makes this meaningful for us. Not just the affiliation, but the Flyers fans in this area really mean a lot to us."

RISE UP! Reserve your season tickets now for the 2015-2016 season of Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey. The Phantoms kick off the regular season to their second campaign at PPL Center on Saturday, October 10th! For more information on how to reserve your seat at PPL Center to the hottest ticket in town call the Phantoms front office today at 610-224-GOAL (4625)!

On the cusp of their 20th season of operation, the Phantoms are coming off their Inaugural Season as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms playing at the brand-new PPL Center. Established in 1996, the Phantoms spent their first 13 seasons at the Spectrum in Philadelphia before re-locating to Glens Falls, New York in 2009 where the team spent the next five seasons as the Adirondack Phantoms. A new era of Phantoms hockey began in the fall of 2014 when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms began play at the state-of-the-art PPL Center. Through 19 incredibly successful campaigns, the Phantoms have captured two Calder Cup Championships (1998, 2005), two Conference Championships (1998, 2005), two Regular Season Titles (1996-97, 1997-98) and four Division Championships (1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2003-04).

Check out the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from September 14, 2015


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