PREVIEW: Phantoms at Admirals, Game #53

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (26-19-7) at Milwaukee Admirals (27-18-7)
UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee, WI
Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (7:00 p.m.) – Game #53

TONIGHT – It’s the road trip finale as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms head to America’s Dairyland to tangle with the Milwaukee Admirals, AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators.

Lehigh Valley (26-19-7) has been hot on this sojourn to the Great Lakes region with a 2-0-1 mark so far on the upper-midwest road swing. The Phantoms have points in five of the last six games (4-1-1)  as well as seven out of nine (6-2-1) averaging over four goals per game during the stretch.

The Phantoms also have points in five consecutive away games (4-0-1) and are 9-2-1 on the road since January 1.

There are 20 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 two points back of fourth-place Charlotte and only four points out of second place held by Providence and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Milwaukee (27-18-7) is tops in the Central Division in points but is third in points percentage and the Admirals have recently lost two of their leading scorers to waivers and recall. Former Phantoms captain Cal O’Reilly is still getting the job done at 38 years old and is the leading scorer on the active roster.

LAST TIME –The first-ever visit for the Phantoms to Rockford, Illinois was certainly one to remember. A wild back-and-forth night of goals and lead-changes ended with a Phantoms 5-4 victory to improve to 2-0-1 on their midwest road trip. J.R. Avon tucked in the winning goal from the side of the net with just 7:26 left to break a late 4-4 tie but it was really Garrett Wilson who made the goal possible with his big and booming forecheck at a Rockford defenseman successfully popping the puck free to set up the scoring opportunity. Anthony Richard (11th, 12th) led the attack with two goals and one assist, all in the first period. Hunter McDonald (3rd) also scored as did Jacob Gaucher with his team-leading 16th strike of the season.

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

ROAD WARRIORS – The Phantoms have accumulated points in five consecutive away games (4-0-1) and are 9-2-1 on the road since January 1 after beginning the season with a far less stellar 4-8-3 mark on the road from October through December.

PHANTASTIC – The Phantoms have a three-game point streak (2-0-1) and also have points in five of the last six (4-1-1). The Phantoms are also 6-2-1 in their last nine.  Overall, Lehigh Valley is seven games over .500 for the first time this season.

– Olle Lycksell is on a six-game point streak since February 14 accumulating 1-6-7 in the stretch. His point streak is tied for the longest on the team this year. It is Lycksell’s second time with a six-game point streak and Anthony Richard also had a six-gamer earlier this year. The third-year pro leads the Phantoms with 14-21-35 in 36 games.

– Rodrigo Abols has points in five of six games since returning from the Philadelphia Flyers scoring 1-5-6 in the stretch.

– Anthony Richard has scored 3-2-5 with a pair of multi-point games in the first three games of the team’s road trip. The AHL veteran of over 500 games returns to Milwaukee for Tuesday’s contest where he starred for the first four-and-a-half seasons of his career.

– The Phantoms have scored three or more goals in eight of their last nine games with 38 goals over the stretch averaging 4.2 goals per game.

– Lehigh Valley is 15-1-1 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 18 overtime games ahead of Cleveland with 17. Lehigh Valley is 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 4-2 in shootouts.

– Lehigh Valley has taken the league-lead in most one-goal games with 32. The Phantoms also are  third in one-goal wins with 18 behind Hershey (20) and Laval (19). The Phantoms boast a record of 18-7-7 in one-goal games including 10-2-3 at home.

IMPENDING MILESTONES
– Garrett Wilson, 399 pro points
– Garrett Wilson, 270 games with Lehigh Valley (Record: Greg Carey, 277 games)

IT’S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE
The last time the Phantoms and Milwaukee Admirals played was almost exactly 20 years ago. On February 19, 2005 at Bradley Center in Milwaukee, the Philadelphia Phantoms shut out the Milwaukee Admirals 2-0. Patrick Sharp and Tony Voce scored goals in the third period while Antero Nittymaki racked up 28 saves. That finished a sweep of the season series for the Phantoms who also beat Milwaukee 5-1 at Spectrum in Philadelphia earlier in the season on December 12, 2004 including a penalty shot goal for Patrick Sharp and a two-goal game for Josh Gratton while Neil Little produced a 26-save effort in the W.

ADMIRING THE ADMIRALS –  Milwaukee (27-18-7) is technically in the top spot in the Central Division although Texas and Grand Rapids both have better points percentage marks based on games-in-hand. The AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators has been led by some veterans this year but former WBS Penguin Vinnie Hinostroza (11-22-33) was claimed off waivers by Minnesota and former Phantom and Flyer Kieffer Bellows (14-15-29) was recalled to the Preds. 38-year-old Cal O’Reilly (6-26-32) recently played in his 1,000th career AHL game becoming only the ninth to reach that incredible mark. The former Lehigh Valley captain of four seasons from 2019-23 played 218 games for the Orange and Black scoring 36-87-123. The future AHL Hall-of-Famer is sixth in AHL history with 594 assists and 20th with 766 points. His career began in Milwaukee in 2005-06 where he played five years.First-rounder from Finland Joakim Kemell (11-18-29) is in his second season with the Ads. Ryder Rolston (8-10-18) is the son of Brian Rolston who played 1,256 NHL games mostly with New Jersey, Boston and Minnesota.
“The other Matt Murray” (not the one who used to play for the Penguins and is currently with Toronto) has been one of the best goaltenders in the AHL at 17-9-3. His 2.25 is fifth in the AHL and his .927 save percentage is tied for first with Michael DiPietro of Providence.

Scoring Leaders
Phantoms
Olle Lycksell 14-21-35
Samu Tuomaala 11-20-31
Jacob Gaucher 16-15-31
Anthony Richard 12-14-26
Rodrigo Abols 11-14-25
Alexis Gendron 15-7-22
Zayde Wisdom 8-13-21

Milwaukee
x Vinnie Hinostroza 11-22-33
Cal O’Reilly 6-26-32
Jake Lucchini 14-15-29
x Kieffer Bellows 14-15-29
Joakim Kemell 11-18-29
Ozzy Wiesblatt 13-15-28

Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 17.8%, 20th / PK 80.3%, 23rd
Milwaukee – PP 18.1%, 17th / PK 80.2%, 24th

COMING UP –  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 Philadelphia Eagles World Championship Celebration including autographs with Jahan Dotson!

UPCOMING

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 – Celebrating the World Champion Philadelphia Eagles! Prizes, Giveaways, Special Guest Appearance by Jahan Dotson

Sunday, March 2 (5:00) – Phantoms at Hershey Bears

 

 

 

 

 

 

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