PREVIEW: Phantoms at Griffins, Game #51

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (25-19-6) at Grand Rapids Griffins (26-19-4)
Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI
Friday, February 21, 2025 (7:05 p.m.) – Game #51

TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms look to keep it up and aim for a two-game series sweep at the the Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, in Game 2 of a four-game road trip.

Lehigh Valley (25-19-6) won the Wednesday opener 5-2 and has now won three of the last four as well as five out of seven. The Phantoms have also won their last three straight away games and are 8-2-0 on the road since January 1. There are 22 games remaining in the regular season. The Phantoms are solidly in fifth place in the Atlantic Division, above the playoff cut-line, and are just three points back of third place Providence and Charlotte.

Grand Rapids (26-19-4) has been in a freefall having dropped seven of its last eight to tumble out of first place in the Central Division. The Griffins’ slump includes a five-game losing streak that saw the Griffins’ offense struggle mightily with three consecutive shutouts.

LAST TIME – Parker Gahagen contributed perhaps his best performance of the season with a sensational 39-save gem to slam the door on the Griffins 5-2. Gahagen stopped three breakaways and also had a spectacular diving save early in the second period sprawling to his right to knock away a backdoor effort with the paddle. Olle Lycksell (14th), Rodrigo Abols (11th), Brendan Furry (6th), Anthony Richard (11th) and Garrett Wilson (9th) all found the back of the net as part of a balanced scoring attack.

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

TRANSACTIONS – 
Feb 16 Sawyer Boulton – Add – Recalled from Reading
Feb 16 Xavier Bernard – Add – Recalled from Reading
Feb 17 Mason Primeau – Add – Recalled from Reading

PHANTASTIC –

– Goaltender Parker Gahagen equaled a career high with 39 saves in Wednesday’s win at Grand Rapids which he also achieved on March 2, 2024 at Bridgeport. The 31-year-old Army Captain has been one of the best goaltenders in the AHL in 2025. Since December 28, Gahagen has gone 8-1-0, 1.73, .938 in a stretch which has also included three shootout wins on January 17 at Rochester, February 7 vs. Cleveland and February 14 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

– Rodrigo Abols is on a four-game point streak since his return from the Philadelphia Flyers last week and is also on a two-game goal streak. The 29-year-old Latvia product made his NHL debut one month ago in a nine-game stint. He has scored 2-2-4 plus a shootout winner in his streak.

– The Phantoms had zero power plays on Wednesday at Grand Rapids. It was the second time this season and also a second time in the last six games for a game with zero power plays along with February 7 vs. Cleveland.

– The Phantoms have won three out of their last four and are also 5-2-0 in their last seven. The Phantoms have also won three consecutive away games and are 8-2-0 on the road since January 1. Overall, Lehigh Valley is six games over .500 matching its high-water mark for the second time this year.

– The Phantoms have scored three or more goals in six of their last seven games with 29 goals over the stretch averaging 4.1 goals per game. The Phantoms have held their opponents to two goals or fewer in six of the last nine games for an average of 2.7.

– Lehigh Valley is 14-1-0 when scoring four or more goals in a game. The Phantoms are 17-0-2 when holding their opponents to two goals or fewer.

– The Phantoms lead the AHL with 17 overtime games and are also tied for the tops with seven OT wins (along with  Hershey, Hartford and Laval). Olle Lycksell leads the AHL with three overtime winners. Lehigh Valley is 7-5 in overtimes and 4-1 in shootouts.

– Lehigh Valley is also second in one-goal games with 29 (Hershey has 31) as well as one-goal wins with 17 (Herhsye has 20). The Phantoms boast a record of 17-6-6 in one-goal games including 10-2-3 at home.

IMPENDING MILESTONES
– Garrett Wilson, 399 pro points
– Garrett Wilson, 268 games with Lehigh Valley (Record: Greg Carey, 277 games)

GREETING THE GRIFFS – Grand Rapids (26-19-4) has tumbled out of first place in the North Division taking losses in seven out of eight. The power play is in a 1-for-31 slump in the last eight games and the team was shutout in three consecutive games a couple weeks ago settign a franchise record. The Griffs took a pair of games in Allentown in October 5-2 and 4-3 in a shootout led by Amadeus Lombardi with two goals in the Saturday opener and then a shootout winner in the Sunday finale. The Phantoms picked up their first win on Wednesday at Grand Rapids in a 5-2 decision. The visiting team has won all three meetings in the season series.

Stingy defense and solid goaltending are the strengths of the Detroit Red Wings’ farm club as Grand Rapids rates second in the AHL at just 2.65 goals allowed per game. 31-year-old Dominik Shine (11-24-35) is back after making his NHL debut and recording his first NHL point earlier in the month following nine seasons and 467 games with the Griffs. Former Hershey Bear Joe Snively (18-14-32) is tied with former Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canuck Sheldon Dries (18-8-26) for the team-lead in goals. 20-year-old center Nate Danielson (5-20-25) was the #9 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. 22-year-old goaltender Sebastian Cossa (15-10-3, 2.32, .915) is a 2021 first-rounder (#15 overall) and helped Canada to a 2022 World Juniors gold medal.

Rookies Shai Buium and Carter Mazur won a national championship with Lehigh Valley’s Massimo Rizzo last year at the University of Denver. Mazur and Rizzo (pictured) were roommates and good friends at D.U.

Scoring Leaders
Phantoms
Olle Lycksell 14-19-33
Samu Tuomaala 11-20-31
Jacob Gaucher 15-14-29
Rodrigo Abols 10-13-23
Alexis Gendron 15-7-22
Anthony Richard 10-12-22
Garrett Wilson 9-9-18

Grand Rapids
Dominik Shine 11-24-35
Joe Snively 18-14-32
Austin Watson 12-17-29
Sheldon Dries 18-8-26
Nate Danielson 5-20-25
Antti Tuomisti 2-18-20

Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 18.1%, 17th / PK 80.7%, 23rd / PP vs. GR, 1-for-3
Grand Rapids – PP 16.3%, 27th / PK 82.3%, 15th / PP vs. LV, 2-for-10

SEASON SERIES
10/26/24                    Home        L              2-5
10/27/24                    Home        SOL           3-4 (SO)
2/19/25                      Away          W               5-2
2/21/25                      Away

SERIES LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Anthony Richard 3-1-4
Rodrigo Abols 2-0-2
Garrett Wilson 2-0-2
Alexis Gendron 1-1-2

Grand Rapids
Amadeus Lombardi 2-3-5
Dominik Shine 1-2-3
Brogan Rafferty 0-3-3
Sheldon Dries 2-0-2

COMING UP –  The Phantoms continue their four-game road trip with a Saturday clash at the Rockford IceHogs followed by a Tuesday night trip to the Milwaukee Admirals. The Phantoms return to PPL Center on Friday, February 28 and Saturday, March 1 for a two-game series against the Bridgeport Islanders featuring Hockey is For Everyone Night and a Mardi Gras Celebration!

 

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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