PREVIEW: Phantoms at Monsters, Game #24

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (9-9-5) at Cleveland Monsters (15-6-2)
Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, OH
Thursday, December 12, 2024 (7:00 p.m.) – Game #24

TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (9-9-5) continue their road trip with the first of a pair of games in Cleveland, OH against the first-place Monsters, AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Cleveland (15-6-2) presents a formidable challenge as the high-flying Monsters recently rattled off a franchise-record 10-game win streak.

The Phantoms are looking to get back on track following a 6-3 setback at the Toronto Marlies on Tuesday.

Lehigh Valley and Cleveland will rematch here on Saturday night to wrap up the series and the four-game road swing.

LAST TIME –Lehigh Valley raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on a pair of goals by Jacob Gaucher (9th, 10th) but the Toronto Marlies got it going in the second period and rallied from behind for a 6-3 victory on Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Coliseum. J.R. Avon (2nd) rattled the top of the cage with his power-play snipe to pull the Phantoms to within 4-3 at the end of the second period. Defenseman Mikko Kokkonen scored his first two goals of the season while captain Logan Shaw had one goal and two assists. Phantoms captain Garrett Wilson returned to the lineup after missing the previous four games due to injury.

MEDIA MATERIALS – Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for both teams and the AHL at the following link. https://www.phantomshockey.com/media-materials/

TRANSACTIONS – 
Dec 8 Sawyer Boulton – Add – Recalled from Reading
Dec 8 Sam Sedley – Add – Recalled from Reading
Dec 8 Mason Primeau – Add – Recalled from Reading
Dec 11 Mason Primeau – Del – Loaned to Reading

GAUCHER SIGNS NHL DEAL – The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward Jacob Gaucher to a two-year, entry-level contract. Gaucher, 23, had been on an AHL contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and is in his second season with the team and his third in pro hockey. The Longquiel, Quebec native leads the Phantoms with 10 goals and also has five assists for 15 points which is fourth on Lehigh Valley. Gaucher scored this season’s Teddy Bear Toss goal on December 7 against Hershey and recorded his first career hat trick on November 2 at Springfield. Last year, Gaucher came through with the playoff-series clinching goal in overtime to eliminate the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 26, 2024.

PHANTASTIC – 

– Jacob Gaucher became the first Phantom to reach double digits in goals this season after scoring his 9th and 10th on Tuesday at Toronto. This season’s Teddy Bear Toss goal scorer has three goals in the last three games and four goals in the last five. Gaucher has already eclipsed his AHL rookie season total last year of eight goals.

– Second-year pro J.R. Avon has gotten it going with goals in back-to-back games. The speedy forward lit the lamp while crashing the net on Sunday at Hershey and followed that up with a more picturesque goal blasting one top-shelf on the power play in his homecoming to Toronto.

– Hot Starts – The Phantoms have scored two goals in the first period in back-to-back games after not recording a multi-goal opening frame all season.

– The Phantoms lead the AHL with 10 overtime games out of 23 games total. The Phantoms are 4-4 in overtime decisions and are 1-1 in shootouts. Lehigh Valley is second in overtime wins trailing only Cleveland (5).

– Lehigh Valley has played in 15 one-goal decisions out of its first 23 games going 7-3-5 in the squeakers. That’s second in the AHL for most one-goal games trailing only Hershey (16). The Phantoms are 5-0-2 at home in one-goal games.

SPOOKY SHOWDOWN IN CLEVELAND – Paranormal mascots collide when the Phantoms and Monsters square off in northeast Ohio this week. Cleveland (15-6-2) is in first place in the North Division and recently had a 10-game win streak. The Monsters’ high-tempo offense is cranking out 3.47 goals per games, 4th in the AHL. They also feature the top two scorers in the conference with the multi-named Luca Del Bel Balluz (15-11-26) and Trey Fix-Wolansky (12-13-25). 31-year-old veteran Rocco Grimaldi (6-17-23) has proven he’s still got it with a career-high 36 goals with the Chicago Wolves last year and a fast start this season. Grimaldi is approaching the 400 point milestone in his impressive career with 181-212-393. Defenseman Daemon Hunt recently joined from the Iowa Wild coming over in a trade for hard-shooting former #6 overall draft pick David Jiricek. Jet Greaves (8-4-2, 3.21, .902) has been the primary goaltender following the recall of Pavel Cajan. 35-year-old native Ohioan Trent Vogelhuber is in his second season with the Monsters and is the youngest head coach in the AHL.

SCORING LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Samu Tuomaala 8-12-20
Olle Lycksell 5-13-18
Anthony Richard 6-10-16
Jacob Gaucher 10-5-15
Oscar Eklind 4-7-11

Cleveland
Luca Del Bel Balluz 15-11-26
Trey Fix-Wolansky 12-13-25
Rocco Grimaldi 6-17-23
Denton Mateychuk 7-15-22
Owen Sillinger 7-13-20

Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 22.5%, 3rd / PK 83.1%, 13th
Cleveland – PP 20.5%, 10th / PK 83.1%, 13th

COMING UP –  The Phantoms and Monsters wrap up the quick two-game series with a Saturday rematch in Cleveland which is also the finale of Lehigh Valley’s four-game road trip.
Lehigh Valley’s next home games are Wednesday, December 18 against the Providence Bruins and Friday, December 20 against the Toronto Marlies on meLVin Youth Knit Winter Cap Night for the kids in a game featuring holiday-style fun!

UPCOMING

Thursday, December 12 (7:00) – Phantoms at Cleveland Monsters

Saturday, December 14 (7:30) – Phantoms at Cleveland Monsters

Wednesday, December 18 (7:05) – Providence Bruins at Phantoms – Pregame Happy Hour, $2 Draft Beers

Friday, December 20 (7:05) – Toronto Marlies at Phantoms – meLVin Youth Winter Knit Cap presented by Reilly Children’s Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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