READY FOR ROUND 2April 30, 2024
Allentown, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms finished a thrilling sweep of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in their Best of 3 series to open the Calder Cup Playoffs and are now ready to take on the rival Hershey Bears in the Atlantic Division semifinals beginning on Wednesday night in Chocolatetown.
A raucous atmosphere welcomed back playoff hockey to PPL Center for the first time in six years and the attending fans were treated to one of the most exciting games in team history capped by Jacob Gaucher’s overtime winner to advance the Phantoms to the second round.
The Phantoms will play Games 1 and 2 at Hershey on Wednesday and Saturday.
The series comes to PPL Center for Games 3 and 4 of the Best-of-5 set when Lehigh Valley hosts on Wednesday, May 8 and Saturday, May 11.
LAST WEEK
April 24 – Phantoms 2 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 1
April 26 – Phantoms 5 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4 (OT)
Phantoms Win Series 2 Games to 0
THE WEEK AHEAD
Game 1 – Wednesday, May 1 (7:00) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Hershey Bears
Game 2 – Saturday, May 4 (7:00) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Hershey Bears
WEEKLY RECAP
Wednesday, April 24
Phantoms 2 – W-B/Scranton Penguins 1
Adam Brooks and Rhett Gardner scored early goals off Louie Belpedio set-ups and then Cal Petersen slammed the door the rest of the way in a 22-save performance as the Phantoms took Game 1 of the series in Northeast Pennsylvania.
Friday, April 26
Phantoms 5 – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4 (OT)
Jacob Gaucher banged home the rebound of a Brendan Furry mini-breakaway to advance the Phantoms to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Trailing 3-1 into the third period, Lehigh Vally rallied with a pair of consecutive power-play goals with under eight minutes to go when Emil Andrae and Tanner Laczynski scored back-to-back. The Phantoms fell behind again at 4-3 but Laczynski struck at 4-on-4 with barely more than three minutes remaining for his second tying goal of the game to spark the incredible overtime finish.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Playoff Overtime Goals
Chris Conner – April 24, 2017 – Phantoms 2 at Hershey 1 (First LV Playoff Win)
Max Lamarche – April 28, 2018 – Phantoms 4 vs. Providence 3 (Phantoms win series 3-1)
Alex Krushelnyski – May 9, 2018 – Phantoms 2 at Charlotte 1 (5th OT, Longest game in AHL history)
Jacob Gaucher – April 26, 2024 – Phantoms 5 vs. W-B/Scranton 4 (Phantoms Sweep Penguins)
PLAYOFF FEVER
The Phantoms have qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs in back-to-back seasons and also made it for the fourth time in the last six years in which the playoffs have been held since 2017.
The Phantoms are also participating in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the 14th time in franchise history which includes two Calder Cup Championships for the Philadelphia Phantoms in 1998 and 2005 prior to the team’s arrival in Allentown in 2014.
STELLAR DOWN THE STRETCH
Veteran goaltender Cal Petersen has found his A-Game since he return to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms from the Philadelphia Flyers on February 28 and has established himself as the the goalie the team has turned to in the postseason.
The lefty netminder from Waterloo, Iowa was particularly solid in his last 13 games of the regular season since arriving from Philadelphia going 5-7-1, 2.08, .917 with two shutouts including a playoff-berth clinching win on April 19 at Bridgeport in his last start of the regular season. Petersen surrendered two goals or fewer in eight of his last 13 starts including three of his last four and also five of the last seven.
PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE
Phantoms with the most AHL and NHL postseason games:
Adam Brooks – AHL 40 games (10-8-18) + NHL 2 games / Won 2018 Calder Cup with Toronto Marlies
Louie Belpedio – AHL 30 games (3-18-18) (Iowa, Laval, Lehigh Valley)
Garrett Wilson – AHL 18 games (0-5-5) + NHL 10 games (Florida, Pittsburgh) (1-1-2)
Cooper Marody – AHL 20 games (3-7-10) (Bakersfield, Lehigh Valley)
Evan Polei – AHL 20 games (3-1-4) (Bakersfield, Manitoba, Lehigh Valley)
Rhett Gardner – AHL 12 games (5-5-10) (Texas, Lehigh Valley)
Victor Mete – NHL 10 games (0-2-2) (Montreal 2020) + AHL 2 games (0-1-1)
Cal Petersen – AHL 8 games + NHL 1 game (Los Angeles)
Helge Grans – AHL 7 games (Ontario)
PLAYOFF HISTORY: PHANTOMS VS. HERSHEY
This is the sixth time for the Phantoms and Bears to meet in the Calder Cup Playoffs and the second time for Lehigh Valley to play against Hershey. Lehigh Valley’s first-ever playoff series was against the Hershey Bears in the opening round of the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs in a series that saw the away team win every game in the Best-of-5 set.
Hershey took a pair of one-goal wins at PPL Center on April 21, 2017 and April 22, 2017 including a 1-0 overtime goaltenders duel between Alex Lyon and Pheonix Copley when Nathan Walker scored at 7:38 of overtime. The Bears dramatically rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the third period of Game 3. Chris Bourque scored the winner with just 33 seconds remaining.
The Phantoms struck back with consecutive wins at GIANT Center including Chris Conner’s overtime goal at 1:49 into overtime on April 24, 2019 after a blocked shot by Andy Miele for a 2-1 win followed by a more dominating 4-1 triumph in Game 4 including two goals by Scott Laughton. But the Bears hung on for a 3-2 win at PPL Center in Game 5 to close the series.
Previous Hershey vs. Phantoms Playoff Series
2017 – Hershey Bears 3 – Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2 (Round 1)
2009 – Hershey Bears 4 – Philadelphia Phantoms 0 (Round 1)
2000 – Hershey Bears 3 – Philadelphia Phantoms 2 (Round 1)
1998 – Philadelphia Phantoms 4 – Hershey Bears 0 (Round 2)
1997 – Hershey Bears 4 – Philadelphia Phantoms 3 (Round 2)
TEAM AND LEAGUE LEADERS
Garrett Wilson accumulated 216 penalty minutes to finish with the most in the AHL for a second consecutive season. He became the first AHL player in eight years to rack up over 200 PIM in a season since Stu Bickell with San Diego in 2015-16.
J-R Avon had five shootout goals to tie for the AHL lead with Trey Fix-Wolanski of Cleveland
Emil Andrae has 15 power-play assists which was first among AHL rookie defensemen and second among AHL rookies overall trailing only Brennan Othmann of Hartford who has 17.
Cooper Marody and Olle Lycksell tied for the team lead with 19 goals apiece.
Marody had 37 helpers on the year giving him the team-crown in that department over Samu Tuomaala who has 28.
Marody also had 56 points this season besting Tanner Laczynski who was next with 44 points in just 49 games.
PHANTASTIC!
The Phantoms record when:
– Score 4 or more goals: 21-0-2
– Allow 2 or fewer goals: 19-6-1
– Lead After 1st period: 10-1-3
– Lead After 2nd period: 17-3-1
– One-Goal Games: 19-8-9
– Overtime: 8-6 / Shootout: 4-3
HERE COMES HERSHEY
