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Phantoms Weekly - Phantoms Face Rival Penguins at PPL Center This

February 20, 2017 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms News Release


Phantoms Weekly - Phantoms Face Rival Penguins

at PPL Center This Saturday

February 20, 2017

This Week

Friday, February 24 (7:05 p.m.) - Lehigh Valley Phantoms @ Springfield Thunderbirds

Saturday, February 25 (7:05 p.m.) - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins @ Lehigh Valley Phantoms

(Faith Night.)

Upcoming

Winners of eight of their last 13 games overall, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (34-16-2, 70 pts., 2nd Atlantic Division) are back in action for a pair of games this week, including a rivalry showdown with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at PPL Center this Saturday. The Phantoms enter the week second in both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings and started the week tied for the second-most wins in the American Hockey League (34) while boasting the league's third-best standings point total (70).

Photos courtesy JustSports Photography. Lehigh Valley returns to the frozen surface this Friday, February 24 when the Phantoms invade the MassMutual Center in Springfield for a 7:05 p.m. showdown with the Thunderbirds. Springfield (20-23-9, 49 pts., 6th Atlantic Division) is coming off an impressive weekend in which it claimed three wins in the span of just three days. Following a pair of home victories (5-2 vs. Utica on Friday and 2-1 vs. WB/Scranton on Saturday), the Thunderbirds completed their perfect weekend with a 4-2 triumph at the Hartford Wolf Pack on Sunday. Springfield's surge comes on the heels of a four-game winless skid, which was part of seven setbacks over an eight-game period for the Thunderbirds.

Friday's contest will mark the fourth of six total meetings during the 2016-2017 regular season between Lehigh Valley and Springfield with the Phantoms having taken each of the first three collisions. Lehigh Valley opened the season series with a 4-2 win at PPL Center on October 15 followed by a 6-4 victory in downtown Allentown on November 5 and a 4-3 win on January 16 in the only prior meeting at MassMutual Center in Springfield.

The Phantoms then return to PPL Center on Saturday, February 25 when they welcome the rival Penguins to downtown Allentown. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (37-14-3, 77 pts., 1st Atlantic Division) dropped all three of its games last week following a string in which the Penguins had taken four of their previous five outings. After a 4-0 shutout at the Albany Devils on Friday, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton suffered a 2-1 setback at Springfield on Saturday followed by a 3-2 loss at the Providence Bruins on Sunday.

Saturday's game will mark the fifth of 12 total meetings this season between the Phantoms and Penguins with Lehigh Valley having posted a 2-2 mark against their in-state foes this year. The home team has claimed each of the first four collisions with the Phantoms having notched a 4-1 win at PPL Center on November 16 followed by a 5-3 triumph in downtown Allentown on January 20.

A limited number of tickets remain for Saturday's contest at PPL Center and are available online.

Phantoms By The Numbers

After 13 goals in their last two games, the Phantoms continue to be the highest-scoring team in the American Hockey League averaging 3.67 goals per game. Much of Lehigh Valley's production has come in the third period where the Phantoms have produced a league-best 81 goals and are outscoring their opposition 81-44 in the final frame of regulation.

Lehigh Valley is 31-4-2 when scoring three or more goals this season. Meanwhile, the Phantoms are 30-5 when allowing three goals or fewer this year.

The Phantoms tallied an impressive five power play goals in their final two games last week and enter the week leading the Eastern Conference in total man-advantage markers (57).

Defenseman T.J. Brennan enters the week leading all active Phantoms and all AHL defenders in scoring with 43 total points (17 goals, 26 assists). He currently leads all AHL blueliners with 17 goals and is the AHL leader with 166 shots on goal.

Forward Greg Carey currently leads all Phantoms and is tied for second among all AHLers with 23 goals this season. He also leads all Lehigh Valley skaters and all AHLers with 15 power play markers this season.

Forward Corban Knight (right) enters the week in the midst of a four-game scoring streak after notching a point in each of Lehigh Valley's four games last week. The 26-year-old forward has compiled nine goals, 16 assists and 25 total points across 48 games this season.

Last Week

Tuesday, February 14: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 5

Nic Aube-Kubel collected his seventh goal of the season while Mark Alt and Corban Knight registered assists but it wasn't enough as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins leveled their season series with the Phantoms with a 5-1 win inside Mohegan Sun Arena. Oskar Sundqvist scored twice for the Penguins while Jean-Sebastien Dea added a goal and an assist in front of goaltender Tristan Jarry who earned the win after 27 saves on 28 Lehigh Valley shots.

Friday, February 17: Hartford Wolf Pack 3 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2

The Phantoms produced an impressive 44 shots on goal, including a season-high 25 in the third period alone, but the visiting Hartford Wolf Pack were able to hang on for a 3-2 win in front of 8,520 fans at PPL Center. Mark Alt (1st) and Scott Laughton (12th) both found the back of the net for Lehigh Valley in front of goaltender Alex Lyon who tallied 15 saves on 18 Wolf Pack shots.

Marek Hrivik (11th), Nicklas Jensen (22nd) and Philip McRae (8th) each tallied for Hartford while Brandon Halverson backstopped the victory with a 42-save performance.

Saturday, February 18: Hartford Wolf Pack 4 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms 6

Greg Carey tallied his team-leading 23rd goal of the season and Anthony Stolarz turned in an impressive 40-save performance as the Phantoms outlasted the Hartford Wolf Pack 6-4 in front of 8,683 fans at PPL Center. Colin McDonald (18), T.J. Brennan (14), Danick Martel (13), Andy Miele (6th) and Radel Fazleev (4th) also found the back of the net for Lehigh Valley as the Phantoms improved to 18-7-1 when skating at home this season.

Saturday's contest marked the fourth straight standing room-only sellout at PPL Center and the 11th capacity crowd produced by Phantoms fans this season.

Sunday, February 19: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 7 - Utica Comets 4

T.J. Brennan recorded his third career AHL hat trick and Lehigh Valley's second hat trick this season as part of a 7-4 victory over the Utica Comets inside the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Robert Hagg also scored twice (6th, 7th) while Cole Bardreau (8th) and Chris Conner (16th) also found the back of the net as Lehigh Valley improved to 3-0 this season against Utica.

Goaltender Alex Lyon earned his 21st victory of the season between the pipes with a season-high 43 saves while the Phantoms power play was on fire once again producing three conversions in six man-advantage opportunities.

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, Todd Fedoruk, 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 1470-AM WSAN, 790-AM WAEB 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 each 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 PPL Center Box Office [7th & Hamilton].

RISE UP! Another thrilling season of Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey at PPL Center is underway! Reserve your group outings for the 2016-2017 season of Phantoms hockey today. 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].

And for the latest Phantoms news, visit www.phantomshockey.com or follow the team on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lehighvalleyphantoms), Twitter (@lvphantoms), Instagram (@lehighvalleyphantoms) and Snapchat (lvphantoms).

The Phantoms are coming off their 20th Anniversary Season and are currently in their third campaign in the Lehigh Valley 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 20 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).

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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