Homestand Continues as Phantoms Return from the Break
Published on December 26, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms News Release
TONIGHT - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (14-11-3) are back after a week-long and well-deserved Holiday Break as they host the Charlotte Checkers (15-9-2), AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers.
The Phantoms gained momentum entering the break with a thrilling 2-1 shootout win against Hartford on Teddy Bear Toss Night last Saturday. The Phantoms are in fourth place in the Atlantic Division and trail Charlotte by just one point for third place.
This is Game 29 of the 2025-26 season and also Game 4 out of 6 in the current homestand which concludes on New Year's Eve. Tonight is also the first of eight matchups between the Phantoms and Checkers.
Charlotte lost some players from last year's successful season but still has plenty of key pieces from the team that went 44-22-6 last year and advanced all the way to the Calder Cup Finals before bowing to the Champion Abbotsford Canucks.
Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for tonight's game at www.phantomshockey.com/media/media-materials/
LAST TIME - Toss the teddies! Lane Pederson's second-period power-play goal from Cooper Marody and Egor Zamula sent the packed house at PPL Center into raptures and commenced the Phantoms' 2025 Teddy Bear Toss. Thousands of Phantoms fans rocketed colorful stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes onto center ice in the annual chaotic event to benefit the kids at Valley Youth House in Bethlehem. Beyond the fuzzy festivities, the Phantoms still had a hockey game to win. A strong team effort pushed the game into a shootout where Tucker Robertson's goal provided the lead and Cooper Marody's fourth-round finish ripped it back 2-1. Carson Bjarnason then kicked Dylan Roobroeck's attempt to the curb, clinching the win and two points for Lehigh Valley. Bjarnason had 34 saves on 35 shots in another exceptional performance.
FOR THE KIDS - Lane Pederson came through with the big goal. Thousands of Phantoms fans showered the ice with teddy bears. And Carson Bjarnason joined meLVin and our staff with a massive delivery! Phantoms staff were joined by Saturday's winning goaltender, Carson Bjarnason, for the delivery day at Valley Youth House in Bethlehem where the comfort toys and plushies will be distributed to benefit local children in need and foster kids during this holiday season. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms set a new record with 12,099 stuffed animals in the annual Teddy Bear Toss game at PPL Center. Lane Pederson's goal on the power play at 2:11 into the second period triggered the chaotic scene. The team set a new record, breaking last year's mark of 11,853 stuffed animals. That brings the grand total to over 80,000 teddy bears since the team's first Teddy Bear Toss in 2014.
TRANSACTIONS -
12/19/25 Add Egor Zamula (D) - Loaned to LV by PHI
12/19/25 Del Denver Barkey (F) - Recalled to PHI
12/20/25 Add Yaniv Perets (G) - Recalled by LV from Reading
12/20/25 Del Aleksei Kolosov (G) - Recalled to PHI
12/22/25 Del Yaniv Perets (G) - Loaned by LV to Reading
12/22/25 Add Aleksei Kolosov (G) - Loaned to LV by PHI
12/22/25 Del Anthony Richard - Reassigned Team Canada, Spengler Cup
12/22/25 Add Carson Golder (F) - Recalled by LV from Reading
DENVER'S DANDY DEBUT - The Philadelphia Flyers recalled forward Denver Barkey and the 20-year-old rookie winger immediately impressed with a pair of assists just seconds apart. And he did it at Madison Square Garden which is where is late grandfather, Randy Legge, played in the 1972-73 season during his 12-game NHL career. Legge spent most of his career in the AHL with Providence and Buffalo as well as in the WHA with various teams. Barkey has enjoyed a strong rookie professional season with the Phantoms scoring seven goals with nine assists for 16 points in 26 games played. The 5'10" left-handed shooter from Newmarket, Ontario was a third-round selection of the Flyers in the 2023 NHL Draft.
He became the second Lehigh Valley Phantoms player this season to receive a recall for his NHL debut joining Ty Murchison who played in his first NHL game on December 5. Barkey also became the 49th Lehigh Valley Phantoms player all-time to jump up to the big club for his Rookie Lap and first NHL game. Other Phantoms players from this year's team to receive recalls to the Flyers include Emil Andrae, Jacob Gaucher, Carl Grundstrom, Aleksei Kolosov, and Ty Murchison.
BIG Z IS BACK - The Philadelphia Flyers have loaned defenseman Egor Zamula to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Zamula, 25, joins the Phantoms for the first time since the 2022-23 season. The 6'3 ¬Â³ right-handed shooting defenseman has played in 13 games with the Flyers this season registering one assist. He has played in 168 career games with the Flyers over parts of six different seasons scoring eight goals with 33 assists for 41 points. Zamula has also played in 128 career games with Lehigh Valley over three years scoring 5-50-55 and has played in a combined 296 career games in the Flyers' organization since signing as an undrafted free agent prior to the 2020-21 season from the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL. Zamula's assisted on the Teddy Bear Toss goal on Saturday in his first game with the Phantoms since March 31, 2023.
EUROPEAN VACATION - Anthony Richard is going to Switzerland! The veteran forward has been named to the Team Canada roster for the upcoming Spengler Cup tournament in Davos, Switzerland taking place from December 26-31. The Spengler Cup pits invited European teams as well as Team Canada and is considered the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world. This is the first time for Richard to play for a Canadian National Team. He is the first Phantom to play at the Spengler Cup since Kevin Connauton joined Team Canada in the 2022 tournament. Richard is in his second season with the Phantoms and is also second on the team in scoring with 18 points on eight goals and 10 assists. In his 10 seasons in the AHL, Richard has played in 548 career games with Milwaukee, Chicago, Syracuse, Laval, Providence and Lehigh Valley accumulating 169 goals with 185 assists for 384 career points. He has also played in 39 career NHL games with Nashville, Montreal, Boston and Philadelphia scoring 6-8-14.
CHECKING ON THE CHECKERS - Charlotte (15-9-2) impressively picked up consecutive wins at first-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last week to vault ahead of the Phantoms into third place in the Atlantic. But the Checkers have still had their ups and downs and, most recently, split a pair of decisions against Springfield at home before the break. Undrafted Wilmer Skoog (10-8-18) paces the offense in his third year with the Checkers. The Boston University product had 22 goals as rookie. Seventh-rounder Jack Devine (8-10-18) from the University of Denver has played six games with the Florida Panthers this year. Gracyn Sawchyn (5-12-17) is a second-rounder from the WHL Edmonton Oil Kings who is also having a strong rookie season. 31-year-old captain Trevor Carrick (1-8-9) scored 13-37-50 last year to rate fifth among AHL D-men. Cooper Black (12-4-1, 2.48, .904) is second in the AHL in wins behind only Sebastian Cossa (14) of Grand Rapids. Since November 1, he's been especially impressively going 9-1-0, 1.99, .923. Head coach Geordie Kinnear is in his ninth season as head coach of the Florida Panthers affiliate including four years with Springfield and five years with Charlotte. He led the Checkers to a 44-22-6 last year and then guided them all the way to the Calder Cup Finals before bowing to the Champion Abbotsford Canucks.
SCORING LEADERS
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Alex Bump 7-13-20
x - Anthony Richard 8-10-18
Lane Pederson 8-10-18
x - Denver Barkey 8-8-16
x - Carl Grundstrom 6-9-15
Christian Kyrou 4-10-14
Charlotte Scoring Leaders
Wilmer Skoog 10-8-18
Jack Devine 8-10-18
Gracyn Sawchyn 5-12-17
Ben Steeves 9-6-15
Sandis Vilmanis 6-8-14
Special Teams PP / PK
LV 18.8%, 15th / 76.3%, 29th
BRI 16.9%, 19th / 86.0%, 4th
SEASON SERIES vs. CHARLOTTE:
12/27/25 Home
1/23/26 Home
3/6/26 Home
3/7/26 Home
3/21/26 Away
3/22/26 Away
4/18/26 Away
4/19/26 Away
LOOKING AHEAD - Sunday, December 28 is a 3:05 start against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins featuring Postgame Autographs with the Phantoms players presented by NJM Insurance.
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!
American Hockey League Stories from December 26, 2025
- Bojangles Game Preview: December 27 at Lehigh Valley - Charlotte Checkers
- Homestand Continues as Phantoms Return from the Break - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Senators' Comeback Bid Denied in 3-2 Boxing Day Loss - Belleville Senators
- Wolf Pack Recall Forwards Sullivan Mack & Zakary Karpa from Loan to Bloomington Bison - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Griffins to Host Annual New Year's Eve Celebration - Grand Rapids Griffins
- San Diego Gulls Recall Konnor Smith from Tulsa - San Diego Gulls
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