Phantoms Power Play Presented by Provident Bank

One More Before the Break

January 28, 2025

Allentown, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have one more game before the All-Star Break when they travel to Bridgeport for a mid-week rematch against the Islanders.

After that, our Olle-Star, Olle Lycksell, will be traveling to Coachella Valley, Cal. to represent the Phantoms at the AHL All-Star Classic on February 2-3.

Lehigh Valley (20-17-6) is in fifth place in the Atlantic Division and only two points back of the fourth-place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and three points behind the third-place Charlotte Checkers.

LAST WEEK
January 24 – Springfield Thunderbirds 5 at Phantoms 1
January 25 – Bridgeport Islanders 2 – Phantoms 1
January 26 – Phantoms 1 at W-B/Scranton Penguins 5

THE WEEK AHEAD
Wednesday, January 29 (7:05) – Phantoms at Bridgeport Islanders
Monday, Feb 2 and Tuesday, Feb 3 – AHL All-Star Classic at Coachella Valley, Cal.

WEEKLY RECAP
Friday, January 24, 2025
Springfield Thunderbirds 5 – Phantoms 1
Olle Lycksell scored a goal in his return to the Phantoms and Cooper Marody made his season debut after missing the first 40 games but the Springfield Thunderbirds burned the Phantoms 5-1 on Friday night at PPL Center. MacKenzie MacEachern had a shorthanded breakaway goal and an assist while the T-Birds also went 2-for-4 on the power play. Aleksei Kolosov made 26 saves in his first game with the Phantoms since October but also allowed five goals.

Saturday, January 25, 2025
Phantoms 2 – Bridgeport Islanders 1
Olle Lycksell (11th, 12th) scored both goals for the Phantoms including the winner with just 1:13 left to delight the largest Lehigh Valley crowd in seven years. Lehigh Valley hit the post three times and had several other strong chances against goaltender Hunter Miska but the Islanders hung around. Chris Terry tied the game early in the third period. Parker Gahagen won his fifth consecutive decision for Lehigh Valley with 21 saves.

Sunday, January 26, 2025
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 5 – Phantoms 1
Emil Bemstrom (17th, 18th, 19th) recorded his second hat trick of the season and the Penguins went 3-for-4 on the power play as Lehigh Valley dropped the weekend finale in northeast Pennsylvania. Cooper Marody scored his first goal of the season to conclude his stretch of his first games joining the lineup. Lehigh Valley was also without captain Garrett Wilson (injury) and one of the leading scorers, Samu Tuomaala (illness). The Baby Pens struck three times in the first to obtain a comfortable lead early. The Phantoms had a season-low 17 shots against Tristan Jarry. Aleksei Kolosov made 30 saves but dropped his second decision of the weekend.

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

PACKING THEM IN – Saturday’s packed house crowd at PPL Center of 8,901 fans was the team’s largest in seven years. The Phantoms reached 8,900 fans in a game for the ninth time in team history since arriving to the Lehigh Valley in 2014. The team responded with an inspired performance in an especially exciting 2-1 last-minute over the Bridgeport Islanders as the crowd roared. Thank You, Phans!!!

GREAT GAHAGEN – Goaltender Parker Gahaen has thrived in his return to the Phantoms and especially in the last month. The 31-year-old Army Captain has a personal five-game win streak since December 28 going an incredible 5-0-0, 1.17, .955 during that stretch. Gahagen’s microscopic 1.17 GAA leads the AHL for all goalies with two or more games played in the past month.

Gahagen’s successful run between the pipes began with a win against Charlotte one month ago with 29 saves on 30 shots in a 2-1 nailbiter. Just two weeks later, he landed his first career AHL shutout with a 26-save blank sheet at Hartford on January 11. His last time out was a 21-save gem against Bridgeport in another tightly contested 2-1 victory. The Buffalo, NY native began the season with the Reading Royals before arriving to the Phantoms in mid-November when Eetu Makiniemi went down with an injury. He’s been thrust into the spotlight even more since an injury to Cal Petersen on January 15.

PHANTASTIC – 

– Cooper Marody made his belated season debut in Friday night’s game against Springfield and then scored his first goal of the season on Sunday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The elite play-maker and goal-scorer led the Phantoms last season with 56 points on 19 goals and 37 assists. But this year he had been sidelined since taking an injury during the preseason in September. Marody missed the first 40 games of the season. Marody played in his 300th career AHL game on Sunday at Wilkes-Barre.

– Olle Lycksell had a four-game goal streak that was also over a month long. Before this weekend, Lycksell’s last game with the Phantoms had been on December 20 when he recorded a hat trick against Toronto after which he received a recall to the Flyers. Lycksell also had a six-game point streak (7-4-11) dating back to December 8 before being held off the scoresheet ton Sunday to snap the streak.

– Garrett Wilson is second all-time in Lehigh Valley history with 261 career games. The 33-year-old captain is just 17 games away from equaling the team record of 277 games held by Greg Carey. Wilson is approaching another impressive career milestone as he currently stands at 396 pro points.

– Lehigh Valley leads the league in overtime games (15), overtime wins (7) and is also tied with Hershey for the most one-goal games (27). The Phantoms are 7-5 in OT decisions and 2-1 in shootouts. The Phantoms are 15-6-6 in one-goal games including 9-1-3 at home.

IMPENDING MILESTONES
– Garrett Wilson, 397 pro points
– Louie Belpedio, 398 pro games

UPCOMING
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 (7:00)
Total Mortgage Arena, Bridgeport, CT
Phantoms at Bridgeport Islanders
Bridgeport (10-27-4) is dead last in the AHL but has been showing improvement lately. The Phantoms picked up a 2-1 win over the B-Isles at PPL Center last Saturday. Bridgeport won the season-series opener on January 12 by a 5-0 count. 31-year-old Islanders captain Cole Bardreau (3-7-10) recently played in his 500th career AHL game including 226 games with the Phantoms during the first five seasons of the team in Lehigh Valley. 35-year-old sniper Chris Terry (12-24-36) leads the team and had two goals against Lehigh Valley in the first matchup. He is also the AHL’s active career-scoring leader with 323 goals and 777 points. Former Hershey Bear Brian Pinho (17-10-27) had a six-game goal streak early in the season and was named to represent the Islanders at the AHL All-Star Classic. The Islanders are surrendering 3.9 goals per game, worst in the AHL, and their 73.8% penalty kill, which rates 30th out of 32, isn’t exactly helping their cause. The Islanders are hoping the arrival of goaltender Hunter Miska from the KHL will help their cause. Jakub Skarek was recalled to the New York Islanders. Henrik Tikkanen (3-9-0, 4.96, .845) has been particularly disappointing although recording his first career shutout against the Phantoms just over two weeks ago.

Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Samu Tuomaala 8-18-26
Olle Lycksell 12-15-27
Jacob Gaucher 14-11-25
x – Rodrigo Abols 9-10-19
x – Anthony Richard 8-11-19
Alexis Gendron 11-7-18

UPCOMING

Wednesday, January 29 (7:00) – Phantoms at Bridgeport Islanders

Monday, February 2 – Tuesday, February 3 – All-Star Break. AHL All-Star Classic at Coachella Valley

Friday, February 7 (7:05) – Cleveland Monsters at Phantoms – Berks $1 Hot Dogs

Saturday, February 8 (7:05) – Hartford Wolf Pack at Phantoms – Postgame Autographs with Team presented by NJM Insurance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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