Phantoms Weekly - Catch the Phantoms at PPL Center this Friday & Saturday
February 16, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms News Release
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Defend their Goal vs. the Utica Comets
(Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Credit: JustSports Photography)
Upcoming
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (23-25-3, 49 pts., 7th Atlantic Division) continue their push towards the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs with three games this week, including a pair at PPL Center.
The Phantoms return to action this Friday, February 19 when they welcome the Springfield Falcons, the AHL affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes, to downtown Allentown for the final time this season. Springfield (18-23-7, 43 pts., 8th Atlantic Division) dropped both games last weekend suffering a 4-3 shootout setback to the Hershey Bears on Saturday before absorbing a 3-2 loss at home to the Providence Bruins on Sunday. The Falcons enter the week having dropped six of their last nine games overall and will look to get back into the win column at home on Tuesday against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers before visiting Lehigh Valley on Friday.
Friday's contest, which features a Youth T-Shirt Giveaway to the first 2,500 kids 14 and under, will mark the third of four total meetings during the 2015-2016 regular season between the Phantoms and Falcons with Lehigh Valley having claimed each of the first two head-to-head collisions. After the Phantoms earned their first win of the season with a 4-1 triumph at MassMutual Center on October 16, Lehigh Valley grabbed a 5-4 shootout win over Springfield at PPL Center on December 12.
The Phantoms then conclude their season-high five-game home stand on Saturday, February 20 when they host the Sound Tigers, the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders. Bridgeport (27-19-4, 58 pts., 5th Atlantic Division) claimed two of three games last week and enters the week having garnered at least one standings point in each of its last nine games overall (8-0-1). Before a 3-2 overtime defeat at the Albany Devils on Sunday, the Sound Tigers posted back-to-back seven-goal nights with a 7-6 shootout win at the Hershey Bears on Wednesday followed by a 7-3 triumph at home over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday. During its recent run, Bridgeport has outscored its opposition 37-21 and hasn't lost in regulation time since a 4-1 setback to the Phantoms on January 17.
Saturday's game marks the fourth of six total meetings this year between the Phantoms and Sound Tigers with the two sides having alternated through the first three tilts. After a 2-1 setback in Lehigh Valley on December 26, the Phantoms exacted a little revenge with a 4-1 win at Webster Bank Arena on January 17 only to see the Sound Tigers grab the most recent meeting with a 6-3 win at home on February 5.
A limited number of tickets remain for Friday and Saturday's games and are available online at pplcenter.com, by calling 610-347-TIXX [8499] or in-person at the Mealey's Furniture Box Office at PPL Center [701 Hamilton Street].
The Phantoms then wrap up this week's action on Sunday, February 21 with a 5:00 p.m. rematch at Springfield. Be sure to catch all of Sunday's action on FOX 1470-AM, online at www.fox1470.com or via the iHeartRadio app beginning with "Countdown to Faceoff" at 4:20 p.m.
Phantoms By The Numbers
Winger Chris Conner enters the week having recorded at least one point in 11 of his last 12 games overall. During his recent surge, the 32-year-old forward has amassed seven goals, 10 assists and 17 points and enters the week second among all active Phantoms in scoring with 33 total points (12 goals, 21 assists).
Winger Danick Martel enters the week first among all Lehigh Valley skaters and second among all AHL rookies with 18 goals this season. He also leads all active Phantoms and is tied for the AHL rookie lead with four game-winning markers.
Entering the week, first-year skaters Samuel Morin and Tyrell Goulbourne are the only two Phantoms to have appeared in each of Lehigh Valley's 51 games to date. Morin has amassed 15 points (3 goals, 12 assists) this season while Goulbourne has produced 14 points (6 goals, 8 assists).
Lehigh Valley's power play has produced 13 man-advantage markers over the team's last 10 games. During that stretch, the Phantoms' power play is 13-for-52 (25.0 percent)
Last Week
Wednesday, February 10: Binghamton Senators 2 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms 7
Taylor Leier recorded Lehigh Valley's third hat trick in two weeks and Phil DeSimone chipped in three assists as the Phantoms earned their sixth win in eight games with a 7-2 victory over the Binghamton Senators at PPL Center. Colin McDonald (goal, assist), Chris Conner (goal, assist), Cole Bardreau (2 assists) and Andrew MacDonald (2 assists) also registered multi-point games in the triumph while goaltender Jason LaBarbera backstopped the victory with 20 saves on 22 Binghamton shots.
Lehigh Valley's special teams played a huge part in the winning effort as the team's power play matched a season-high with three conversions while the Phantoms' penalty kill kept the Senators' man-advantage off the board in five opportunities.
Friday, February 12: Portland Pirates 3 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms 1
Chris Conner scored his 12th goal of the season and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms posted a season-high 46 shots on goal but the Portland Pirates were able to escape with a 3-1 win in front of 8,600 fans at PPL Center. Taylor Leier and Andrew MacDonald assisted on Conner's man-advantage marker as the Phantoms produced their 13th power play conversion over the team's last nine games. With an assist, MacDonald extended his scoring streak to a season-high nine games as the veteran blueliner has now produced 14 points (all assists) over his last nine outings.
Saturday, February 13: Utica Comets 5 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2
Danick Martel netted his team-leading 18th goal of the year and Phil DeSimone notched his first conversion since coming to Lehigh Valley but it wasn't enough as the visiting Utica Comets were able to secure a 5-2 decision in front of 8,675 fans at PPL Center. Ronalds Kenins and Darren Archibald paced Utica's offensive attack with a goal and an assist each while goaltender Richard Bachman backstopped the victory with 21 saves on 23 shots.
The standing room-only sellout crowd marked the 13th capacity crowd produced by Phantoms fans at PPL Center this season.
Broadcast Coverage
Service Electric's TV2 Sports will be broadcasting live all of the Phantoms' 12 remaining regular season home games. If you can't make it out to the rink, be sure to catch all the exciting action live in HD quality with Steve Degler, Peter Zingoni, Doug Heater and Kristi Fulkerson! Pre-game coverage begins with "Phantoms Front and Center" 30 minutes before puck drop. And don't miss "Phantoms - Breaking the Ice" every Monday from 7:00 - 7:30 p.m. throughout the season live at Chickie's & Pete's at PPL Center!
Be sure to also catch each and every Phantoms game this season live on Fox Sports 1470 AM, online at Fox1470.com or via the iHeartRadio app! Join Voice of the Phantoms, Bob Rotruck, for all of the heart-pumping action of Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey whether the team is at home or on the road. "Countdown to Faceoff" begins 45 minutes prior to puck drop.
Ticket Information
Tickets for all of the Phantoms' 12 remaining regular season home games are available now online at pplcenter.com, by calling 610-347-TIXX [8499] or in-person at the Mealey's Furniture Box Office at PPL Center (7th & Hamilton).
RISE UP! Don't miss the action and fun of Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey at PPL Center in downtown Allentown! Contact the Phantoms Front Office for information on season tickets and groups for the 2015-2016 season of Phantoms hockey by calling 610-224-GOAL [4625].
In the midst of their 20th season of operation, the Phantoms are coming off their Inaugural Season as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms playing at the state-of-the-art PPL Center. Established in 1996, the Philadelphia Phantoms spent their first 13 seasons at the Spectrum 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 18 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).
Images from this story
 Lehigh Valley Phantoms Defend against the Springfield Falcons (JustSports Photography) |
 Lehigh Valley Phantoms Defenseman Samuel Morin (JustSports Photography) |
 Lehigh Valley Phantoms Celebrate a Goal (JustSports Photography) |
 Lehigh Valley Phantoms Defend their Goal vs. the Utica Comets (JustSports Photography) |
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