Gahagen Dazzles as Phantoms Win Road-Trip Opener

Lehigh Valley Tops Grand Rapids 5-2

February 19, 2025

Grand Rapids, MI – Parker Gahagen had perhaps his best game of the season with a career-high 39-save performance which included three breakaway stops as well as a spectacular diving effort across the crease with the paddle as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms won their road-trip opener 5-2 at the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday night.

Lehigh Valley (25-19-6) was outshot 41-24 in the contest but the Phantoms were opportunistic on their chances with goals from Olle Lycksell (14th), Rodrigo Abols (11th), Brendan Furry (6th), Anthony Richard (11th) and then a length-of-the-ice empty-netter from Garrett Wilson (9th) to seal the victory.

But it was Gahagen who stole the show. And the game.

Gahagen (9-2-1) equaled his most saves in an AHL game which he also did last year on March 2, 2024 at Bridgeport. The 31-year-old Army Captain recently had his personal seven-game win streak snapped on Sunday against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins but continued his strong form in his next outing. Since December 28, he has gone 8-1-0, 1.73, .938.

Lehigh Valley won its third straight road contest and improved to 5-2 in its last seven games. The Phantoms are now 12-10-3 on the road and are also six games over .500 overall for the second time this season.

The Phantoms have also been tremendously successful on the road in the new year. Since January 1, Lehigh Valley has an away record of 8-2-0.

It was a somewhat sluggish start for the Phantoms’ offense with just two shots on goal in the first few minutes and then about 15 minutes without getting anything on net. But a pickoff by Olle Lycksell right after a Grand Rapids power play resulted in a quick 2-on-1. Lycksell blasted it bast goaltender Sebastian Cossa from the right dot with just 4.8 seconds remaining in the period for a 1-0 lead at the break.

Lycksell leads the Phantoms with 33 points in just 34 games played. The third-year pro has also spent considerable time in the NHL with the Flyers. His 14th goal of the season also puts him one off the team-lead trailing Jacob Gaucher and Alexis Gendron who have 15 goals apiece.

Then came the second and some better chances for the Griffs. Gahagen had already made one breakaway save on Carter Mazur in the first. But his diving effort and reaching up with the paddle to get to Shai Buium’s try on the backdoor early in the second frame has to rank as one of the top denials of the year.

The Phantoms doubled their lead when Rodrigo Abols emerged with a 2-on-1 along with J.R. Avon busting down the middle. But the hard-shotting Abols sniped off the bar from the left dot to beat Cossa at 15:47 into the second period for a 2-0 advantage at the second break.

Abols, who recently returned from a three-week stay with the Flyers that included his NHL debut, has a two-game goal streak and also has a shootout winner in his four-game stretch back with the Phantoms.

Yet another 2-on-1 would result in Lehigh Valley’s next goal as well. At 32 seconds into the third period, Brendan Furry emerged with Alexis Gendron available on the other side. Furr’s drive from the right circle trickled through five-hole on Cossa for a 3-0 lead.

Grand Rapids wasn’t throwing in the towel, however. A flurry of close-range tries had the Phantoms’ netminder scrambling some more. The Griffins had nine shots in the first six minutes of the third period to try to cut into their 3-0 deficit.

But a loose puck was scooped up by Anthony Richard with speed through the neutral zone and he rushed past two defenders like they were standing still to score stick-side on Cossa. he impressive breakaway marker at 10:47 into the third period made it 4-0.

Grand Rapids (26-19-4) finally broke through at 12:10 on a less-dangerous looking shot from the right wing on the rush for first-rounder Nate Danielson (5th) whose shot short-side went off the edge of the glove of Gahagen and in. Alex Doucet (7th) broke through out in front on a feed across from Amadeus Lombardi at 14:52 and suddenly the Phantoms were sweating again with their lead trimmed to two.

But the Phantoms held off the Griffins the rest of the way. Adam Ginning had consecutive blocked shots right in front of Gahagen with about three minutes to go just when Grand Rapids was again pushing its hardest to get another one.

Garrett Wilson lifted one down the ice and all the way into the empty net for the final dagger with 45 seconds left to provide for the 5-2 final.

Garrett Wilson has 399 career pro points.

The Phantoms are 7-0 when scoring five or more goals. Lehigh Valley also improved to 17-0-2 when allowing two goals or fewer.

The Phantoms won in Grand Rapids for the first time since January 10, 2009 when the Philadelphia Phantoms prevailed in the team’s last visit to Michigan.

The Phantoms had zero power plays for a second time this year and also a second time in the last six games along with a zero power play night on February 7 vs. Cleveland.

Lehigh Valley and Grand Rapids will rematch on Friday night as the road trip continues. The Phantoms travel travel to Rockford, Ill. for a Saturday night showdown against the IceHogs.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st 19:55 – LV, O. Lycksell (14th) (Unassisted) (1-0)

2nd 15:46 – LV, R. Abols (11) (A. Richard, H. McDonald) (2-0)

3rd 0:32 – LV, B. Furry (6) (Unassisted) (3-0)
3rd 10:47 – LV, A. Richard (10th) (Unassisted) (4-0)
3rd 12:10 – GR, N. Danielson (5th) (B. Rafferty, S. Buium) (4-1)
3rd 14:52 – GR, A. Doucet (7th) (A. Lombardi, T. Gettinger) (4-2)
3rd 19:15 – LV, G. Wilson (9th) (EN) (5-2)

Shots:
LV 24 – GR 41

PP:
LV 0/0, GR 0/1

Goaltenders:
LV – P. Gahagen (W) (9-2-1) (39/41)
GR – S. Cossa (L) (15-10-3) (19/23)

Records:
Lehigh Valley (25-19-6)
Grand Rapids (26-19-4)

UPCOMING

Friday, February 21 (7:00) – Phantoms at Grand Rapids Griffins

Saturday, February 22 (8:00) – Phantoms at Rockford IceHogs

Tuesday, February 25 (8:00) – Phantoms at Milwaukee Admirals

Friday, February 28 (7:05) – Bridgeport Islanders at Phantoms – Hockey is For Everyone!

Saturday, March 1 (7:05) – Bridgeport Islanders at Phantoms – Mardi Gras Celebration!

 

 

The post Gahagen Dazzles as Phantoms Win Road-Trip Opener appeared first on Lehigh Valley Phantoms.