PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Wolf Pack, Game #46

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (22-17-6) vs. Hartford Wolf Pack (18-22-5)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Saturday, February 8, 2025 (7:05 p.m.) – Game #46

TODAY – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms wrap up the weekend and look to keep it rolling as they host the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday Night Hockey Live. Fans get to stick around after the game to meet the players in our Postgame Autograph Session presented by NJM Insurance.

Tonight is the sixth, and last, meeting of the season between the Phantoms and Wolf Pack. Lehigh Valley is 3-0-2 against Hartford this season and four of the five previous encounters have gone to overtime.

Lehigh Valley (22-17-6) has won three of its last four and stands in fifth place in the Atlantic Division. The top six teams qualify for the Calder Cup Playoffs in April. There are 27 games remaining in the regular seasion.

Hartford (18-22-5) has now dropped seven straight to fall to seventh place in the division beneath the playoff cut-line.

LAST TIME – Parker Gahagen was terrific with 24 saves in his sixth consecutive win as the Phantoms prevailed in a shootout 3-2 on Friday night in the team’s return from the AHL All-Star Break. Olle Lycksell (13th) and Massimo Rizzo (5th) scored in the first period for a 2-0 lead but Roman Ahcan (10th, 11th) came up with a pair of goals in the third to equalize. J.R. Avon and Samu Tuomaala scored in the shootout to clinch the victory. The Phantoms won their second straight game as well as their third in the last four while also improving to 2-1-0 against the Monsters.

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…AGAIN – Jacob Gaucher as again been recalled to the Philadelphia Flyers. His inspiring story this season included his NHL debut last Sunday 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 and then receiving an NHL contract this past December, it’s been an impressive journey. Gaucher played his third NHL game for the Flyers against the Washington Capitals and then rejoined the Phantoms for their Friday night win against Cleveland before his second recall today. He leads the Phantoms with 14 goals this season and recorded his first career hat trick on November 2 at Springfield.

RICHARD RETURNS- The Philadelphia Flyers have assigned Anthony Richard to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms after the forward cleared waivers this afternoon. Richard, 28, has played in 15 games with the Flyers scoring 2-4-6 via two different stretches including a period of seven games with Philadelphia beginning with his recall on January 22. He has set a new personal high with 15 NHL games in a single season eclipsing his previous mark of 13 games wth Montreal in 2022-23. With the Phantoms this season, he has scored 8-11-19 in 18 games played while also missing a month due to injury. Richard has played in 499 career AHL games with Lehigh Valley, Providence, Laval, Syracuse, Chicago and Milwaukee scoring 152 career goals with 167 assists for 319 points. He has also played in 39 career NHL games scoring 6-8-14.

TRANSACTIONS – 
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
Feb 6 JoJo Cassaro – Add – Recalled from Reading
Feb 7 Jacob Gaucher – Add – Returned by PHI to Phantoms
Feb 8 Jacob Gaucher – Del – Recalled to Flyers
Feb 8 Anthony Richard – Add – Returned by PHI to Phantoms

PHANTASTIC – 

– Olle Lycksell has goals in five of his last six games with eight total goals over the extended period with dates back to December 18. Lycksell is averaging almost a point-per-game with Lehigh Valley having scored 13-15-28 in 29 games this season. He has also played in six NHL games with the Philadelphia Flyers.

– Rookie center Massimo Rizzo is on a two-game goal streak and has scored 2-3-5 in that stretch.

– Saturday was Louie Belpedio’s 400th career pro game. The 28-year-old from Skokie, Ill. is in his third season as an alternate captain with the Phantoms. The righty shooting defenseman out of Miami (Ohio) University has played in 384 AHL games with Iowa, Laval and Lehigh Valley as well as 16 NHL games with Philadelphia and Minnesota. Tonight is also his 150th game with the Phantoms where he has scored 16 goals including four overtime winners.

– Goaltender Parker Gahaen has a personal five-game win streak since December 28 going an incredible 6-0-0, 1.29, .949 during that stretch. Gahagen’s microscopic 1.29 GAA is third in the AHL in that stretch for all goalies with three or more games played.

– Zayde Wisdom’s hat trick at Bridgeport on January 29 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.

– The Phantoms lead the AHL with 17 overtime games and are also tops with seven OT wins. Olle Lycksell leads the AHL with three overtime winners. Lehigh Valley is 7-5 in overtimes and 3-1 in shootouts.
Lehigh Valley is also second in the AHL with 28 one-goal decisions (Hershey has 29) and boasts a record of 16-6-6 in the squeakers including 10-1-3 at home.

IMPENDING MILESTONES
– Garrett Wilson, 398 pro points
– Anthony Richard, 499 AHL games

PLAYING THE PACK –Hartford (18-22-5) has now dropped seven straight (0-5-2) while falling out of the playoff picture behind streaking Springfield. Hartford was shut out at home by the Charlotte Checkers 3-0 on Friday. 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 (14-28-42) returns from representing the Pack at the All-Star Classic and rates third 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 and was just recalled to the New York Rangers. 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

Scoring Leaders
Phantoms
Samu Tuomaala 10-19-29
Olle Lycksell 13-15-28
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

Hartford
Alex Belzile 14-28-42
B0 Groulx 14-22-36
Adam Sykora 8-13-21
Anton Blidh 13-7-20
Dylan Roobroeck 8-10-18

Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 18.6%, 11th / PK 80.6%, 23rd / PP vs. HFD, 5-22, 22.7%
Hartford – PP 16.1%, 28th / PK 78.0%, 27th / PP vs. LV, 3-20, 15.0%

SEASON SERIES
10/12/14                    Home        W             4-3 (SO)
10/25/24                    Away         OTL           3-4 (OT)
11/27/24                    Away         W             5-4 (OT)
1/10/25                      Home        OTL           2-3 (OT)
1/11/25                      Away         W             3-0
2/8/25                       Home

SERIES LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Samu Tuomaala 4-2-6
Anthony Richard 1-4-5
x – Rodrigo Abols 1-3-4
Garrett Wilson 2-1-3

Hartford
Alex Belzile 1-5-6
Bo Groulx 2-2-4
Casey Fitzgerald 1-3-4
Adam Sykora 1-3-4
Anton Blidh 3-0-3
Louis Domingue 0-1-1, 2.49, .932

COMING UP –  The Lehigh Valley Phantoms rekindle the romance with a Valentine’s Day clash at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday, February 14. The Phantoms return to PPL Center Saturday, February 15 against the Syracuse Crunch featuring Bucket Hats for the first 2,500 fans from Capital Blue. Sunday, February 16 at 3:05 is meLvin’s Birthday when the Phantoms host the Penguins.

UPCOMING

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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