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Phantoms Weekly - Phantoms Hit the Road for First Time this Season

October 14, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms News Release


Lehigh Valley Phantoms Celebrate a Goal
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Celebrate a Goal
(Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Credit: JustSports Photography)

This Week

Friday, October 16 (7:00 p.m.) - Lehigh Valley Phantoms @ Springfield Falcons

Saturday, October 17 (4:05 p.m.) - Lehigh Valley Phantoms @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Upcoming

After opening the 2015-2016 regular season last Saturday in front of a raucous, sellout crowd at PPL Center, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms hit the road this weekend for the first time this year.

Photos courtesy JustSports Photography.

Lehigh Valley's action resumes on Friday when the Phantoms head to Springfield for a 7:00 p.m. showdown with the Falcons. Friday's contest marks the first of four total meetings during the 2015-16 regular between the Phantoms and Falcons after the two sides faced off just twice a year ago. Lehigh Valley and Springfield split their season series last year with the Falcons claiming a 3-2 decision at PPL Center on November 26 before the Phantoms returned the favor on February 15 with a 5-4 overtime triumph at MassMutual Center.

Springfield, the AHL affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes, opened the 2015-16 season with a 5-1 setback at home last Saturday to the Hershey Bears and followed that with a 5-3 loss at the Bridgeport Sound Tigers last evening in the Falcons first road game of the year.

The Phantoms then wrap up their weekend road trip on Saturday with a quick turnaround for a 4:05 p.m. contest at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Saturday's contest marks the first of 12 total meetings during the 2015-16 regular season between Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The two sides met a dozen times last year during which the Phantoms posted a 5-6-1 record head-to-head against the Penguins, which included a 3-3 mark in games played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The Penguins opened the season with a pair of road tilts last weekend. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton claimed a 2-1 overtime victory at the Providence Bruins last Friday before suffering a 4-1 setback in Bridgeport on Saturday.

Both road games will be available on Fox 1470 AM locally in Lehigh Valley, online at fox1470.com or through the iHeartRadio app. "Countdown to Faceoff" begins 45 minutes before puck drop.

Phantoms By The Numbers

Aaron Palushaj scored the Phantoms' first goal of the 2015-16 season last Saturday. A 26-year-old forward from Livonia, Mich., he netted seven goals in 53 combined games last season with Zagreb and Yekaterinburg of the KHL. In the midst of his seventh professional campaign, Palushaj has now produced 77 goals in 259 career AHL outings.

Chris Conner notched the first multi-point game of the season for Lehigh Valley with a goal and an assist on Opening Night. A 31-year-old forward from Westland, Mich., Conner is coming off a season in which he matched a career high with 19 goals and produced his third career 50-point AHL campaign.

Lehigh Valley's special teams got off to a strong start last Saturday as the team's power play went 1-for-4 while keeping the Syracuse Crunch's man-advantage off the board in just one uneventful power play opportunity. The Phantoms committed just two minor penalties on Opening Night for a total of just four penalty minutes.

With an attendance of 8,425 total fans on Opening Night, the Phantoms notched their first sellout of the 2015-16 season. Lehigh Valley produced 22 regular season sellouts a year ago.

Last Week

Saturday, October 10: Syracuse Crunch 4 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3

Aaron Palushaj, Chris Conner and Danick Martel all scored for the Phantoms as 8,425 rally towel-waving fans helped kick off the 2015-16 regular season at PPL Center. Despite a spirited third period comeback in which Lehigh Valley out shot visiting Syracuse 12-3, the Crunch were able to hang on for a 4-3 season-opening win.

Saturday's contest marked the first professional games for forwards Tyrell Goulbourne, Michael Parks and Pavel Padakin along with defenseman Samuel Morin with Parks and Padakin collecting their first professional points in the contest. Veteran netminder Jason LaBarbera earned the Opening Night start and recorded 22 saves on 26 Syracuse shots.

Jonathan Marchessault (2 goals) and Dylan Blujus (2 assists) led the offensive effort for the Crunch while goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis earned the win with 26 saves on 29 Phantoms shots.

Broadcast Coverage

Service Electric's TV2 Sports will be broadcasting live all of the Phantoms' 37 remaining regular season home games. If you can't make it out to the rink, be sure to catch all the exciting action in high definition with Steve Degler, 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 (701 Hamilton Street)!

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' 37 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].

Check out the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Statistics




Images from this story

Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. Springfield Falcons
Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. Springfield Falcons
(JustSports Photography)		 Lehigh Valley Phantoms Right Wing Aaron Palushaj
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Right Wing Aaron Palushaj
(JustSports Photography)		 Lehigh Valley Phantoms Celebrate a Goal
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Celebrate a Goal
(JustSports Photography)



American Hockey League Stories from October 14, 2015


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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