Phantoms Power Play Presented by Provident Bank
Nine was so Fine, Olle-Star in Cali, Gauch Debuts
February 4, 2025
Allentown, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms return from the AHL All-Star Break with a pair of home games this weekend as they also begin a stretch of playing four of the next five games at PPL Center. The Phantoms are looking to keep it going after a nine-goal explosion on a record-setting night in their last game before the break.
Olle Lycksell is back after his successful trek to California representing the Phantoms at the AHL All-Star Classic. Meanwhile, Jacob Gaucher made his NHL debut with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Lehigh Valley (21-17-6) currently occupies a playoff spot holding on to fifth place in the Atlantic Division. The top six teams qualify for the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Phantoms have played 44 games and now have 28 games to go.
The Phantoms host the Cleveland Monsters on Friday and then the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday. Friday’s game includes Berks Dollar Hot Dogs while Saturday night features postgame autographs with the Phantoms players presented by NJM Insurance.
LAST WEEK
January 29 – Phantoms 9 at Bridgeport Islanders 2
THE WEEK AHEAD
Friday, February 7 (7:05) – Cleveland Monsters at Phantoms
Saturday, February 8 (7:05) – Hartford Wolf Pack at Phantoms
WEEKLY RECAP
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Phantoms 9 – Bridgeport Islanders 2
The goals started early and never seemed to stop. The Phantoms set a franchise record for most goals in an away game in a crazy 9-2 rout at Bridgeport. Zayde Wisdom (4th, 5th, 6th) scored on goal in each period for his first career hat trick. Samu Tuomaala (9th, 10th) opened the scoring and picked up a multi-goal game. Louie Belpedio (4th) had a four-point night including three assists while Massimo Rizzo (4th) had a goal with two helpers for a three-point performance. Alexis Gendron (12th) and Brendan Furry (5th) also joined the scoring party. It was the first time the Phantoms had ever scored nine goals in an away game and it was only the sixth time in franchise history for the Phantoms to score that many. It was just the second time the team had done it since moving to Lehigh Valley and the first time since scoring 10 goals on April 7, 2019 in a 10-6 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Lehigh Valley’s seven-goal margin of victory also tied a Phantoms franchise record for an away game having also been done last year in an 8-1 win at the Belleville Senators on November 18, 2023.
MEDIA MATERIALS – Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for upcoming games at the following link: https://www.phantomshockey.com/media-materials/
OLLE-STAR – Olle Lycksell was terrific as our representative at the All-Star Classic at Coachella Valley on Sunday and Monday. He wowed the crowd with his spectacular between the legs dangle on the breakaway in the skills competition and then added a goal and an assist plus a shootout winner for the Atlantic Division in toppling the Pacific Division on a run to the championship game. Way to go, Olle!
GAUCHER GETS THE CALL – Jacob Gaucher’s inspiring story continued with his NHL debut on Sunday afternoon at the Colorado Avalanche. From beginning his pro career with the Reading Royals in 2022-23 to not regularly making it into the Phantoms’ lineup to start the 2023-24 season. Gaucher continued to improve and impress and ended last season with eight goals and then the playoff-clinching overtime goal to eliminate the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Rewarded with a new AHL contract for the 2024-25 season, Gaucher had a hat trick on November 2 at Springfield and leads the Phantoms with 14 goals. On December 12 he was rewarded for his success with an NHL contract and that eventually to his first NHL game with the Flyers at Colorado on Sunday with his parents in attendance. A special moment for a hard-working player who is also continuing his efforts toward his college degree.
TRANSACTIONS –
Jan 30 Adam Ginning – Del – Recalled to Flyers
Jan 30 Gianfranco Cassaro – Del – Loaned to Reading
Jan 31 Aleksei Kolosov – Del – Recalled to Flyers
Jan 31 Adam Ginning – Add – Returned by PHI to Phantoms
Feb 1 Jacob Gaucher – Del – Recalled to Flyers
Feb 1 Emil Andrae – Del – Recalled to Flyers
Feb 2 Keith Petruzzelli – Add – Recalled from Reading
PHANTASTIC –
– Zayde Wisdom’s hat trick at Bridgeport was the team’s third of the season Jacob Gaucher on November 2 at Springfield and Olle Lycksell on December 20 against Toronto have also registered trifectas for the Phantoms this season.
– Jacob Gaucher became the fourth Lehigh Valley Phantom this season to make his NHL debut with the Flyers joining Aleksei Kolosov, Helge Grans and Rodrigo Abols. Lehigh Valley has sent 48 players to the Flyers for their first NHL game in a list that includes current Flyers Sam Ersson, Tyson Foerster, Cam York, Travis Sanheim and more.
– Goaltender Parker Gahaen 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 is second in the AHL in that stretch for all goalies with two or more games played (Sergei Murahshov, WBS, 1.00 GAA in three games played)
IMPENDING MILESTONES
– Garrett Wilson, 397 pro points
– Louie Belpedio, 399 pro games
UPCOMING
Friday, February 7, 2025 (7:05)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Cleveland Monsters at Phantoms
Cleveland (24-13-6) had occupied the top spot in the North when the Phantoms traveled to northeast Ohio in December but the Monsters have since slipped to fourth having been passed by streaking Laval, Rochester and Toronto. But the Columbus farm club is still dangerous. Trey Fix-Wolansky (15-23-38) is tops on the team and had a third-period winner against the Phantoms in the first meeting of the season. But the Monsters miss Luca Del Bel Belluz (17-20-37) who is up with Columbus. Crafty veteran Rocco Grimaldi (11-25-36) began on a tryout contract and since has been added full-time on an AHL deal as a nice addition bringing almost 500 career AHL games of experience to the lineup. University of Michigan product Gavin Brindley (5-9-14) is a 20-year-old prospect taken early in the second round.
The Phantoms and Monsters split a pair of 3-2 decisions in December with the Monsters taking the opener in Cleveland on December 12 followed by Louie Belpedio’s overtime winner in the series finale on December 14 which only happened due to a spectacular breakaway save by Cal Petersen on Fix-Wolansky moments earlier.
Saturday, February 8, 2025 (7:05)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Hartford Wolf Pack at Phantoms
Hartford (18-21-5) has been fading fast and whimpered into the break on a six-game winless skid (0-4-2) while falling out of the playoff picture behind streak Springfield. The Wolf Pack are looking to surge back into contention but the Phantoms are 3-0-2 against Harford entering the finale of the season series. Four of the previous five meetings have gone to overtime but the last meeting on January 11 at Hartford was decided in regulation via Parker Gahagen’s first career shutout in a 3-0 win for Lehigh Valley. Veteran Alex Belzile (14-29-43) returns from representing the Pack at the All-Star Classic and rates second in the AHL in points and first in assists. Goaltender Dylan Garand (12-7-4, 2.68, .913) also traveled to Palm Desert, California as an All-Star representative. First-rounder Brennan Othmann (8-6-14) missed two months due to injury but has been thriving since his return. Goaltender Victor Mancini had an overtime winner on January 10 the last time Hartford visited PPL Center.
Samu Tuomaala has scored four of his 10 goals against Hartford including an overtime winner on November 27.
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Samu Tuomaala 10-19-29
Olle Lycksell 12-15-27
x – Jacob Gaucher 14-13-27
Alexis Gendron 12-7-19
x – Rodrigo Abols 9-10-19
x – Anthony Richard 8-11-19
Zayde Wisdom 6-11-17
UPCOMING
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
Friday, February 14 (7:05) – Phantoms at W-B/Scranton Penguins
Saturday, February 15 (7:05) – Syracuse Crunch at Phantoms – Bucket Hats from Capital Blue. Margaritaville Night. Live Music “Jimmy and the Parrots”
Sunday, February 16 (3:05) – W-B/Scranton Penguins at Phantoms – meLVin’s Birthday with his mascot friends!
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