PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Islanders, Game #54

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (26-20-7) vs. Bridgeport Islanders (12-34-6)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Friday, February 28, 2025 (7:05 p.m.) – Game #54

TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms return to PPL Center for a two-game weekend series against the Bridgeport Islanders, AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders.

Lehigh Valley (26-20-7) has returned from a four-game road trip through the upper midwest in which the Phantoms went 2-1-1.  The Phantoms have points in five of the last seven games (4-2-1)  as well as seven out of ten (6-3-1) averaging over four goals per game during the stretch.

There are 19 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 four points behind third place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Bridgeport (12-34-6) is having a tough season with the worst record in the AHL. The Phantoms won the last meeting in a 9-2 drubbing in Connecticut on January 29 while setting a franchise record for most goals in a road game.

LAST TIME – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms scored three straight to roar back from a 3-0 deficit but the tie game in the third period lasted only 42 seconds before the host Milwaukee Admirals went back on top and then added an empty-netter to snag a 5-3 victory on Tuesday night at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
Anthony Richard (13th) had a goal and an assist in his return to America’s Dairyland where he starred for four-and-a-half seasons. Rodrigo Abols (12th) got the Phantoms on the board to start the comeback and Brendan Furry (7th) rocked home his fourth shorthanded goal of the year. But Milwaukee (28-18-7) received a breakaway goal from former Phantoms’ captain Cal O’Reilly (7th) who showed he still has what it takes even at 38 years old. Kyle Marino had two goals and one assist while Ozzy Weisblatt recorded a Gordie Howe Hat Trick for the first place team in the Central Division.

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 accumulated points in five consecutive away games (4-0-1) before the streak was snapped on Tuesday at Milwaukee. The Phantoms are 9-3-1 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. Lehigh Valley recorded points in three out of four games on the recent upper-midwest road trip to Grand Rapids, Rockford and Milwaukee finishing with a 2-1-1 mark.

PHANTASTIC – 

– Olle Lycksell is on a seven-game point streak since February 14 accumulating 1-7-8 in the stretch. That’s the longest point streak for any Phantoms player this season. Lycksell had a six-game point streak earlier in the season as did Anthony Richard in October and November. The third-year pro leads the Phantoms with 14-22-36 in 37 games.

– Rodrigo Abols has points in six of seven games since returning from the Philadelphia Flyers scoring 3-4-7 in the stretch.

– Anthony Richard scored 4-3-7 on the the four-game road trip and has a two-game streak with multiple points including 2-1-3 on Saturday at Rockford and 1-1-2 in his return to Milwaukee on Tuesday where he starred for four-and-a-half seasons at the beginning of his pro career.

– Brendan Furry has four shorthanded goals. That’s tied for second in the AHL with John Leonard of Charlotte and trailing only Graham Slaggert (5) of Rochester. The Phantoms are third in the AHL with nine shorthanded goals trailing only Charlotte (13) and Rochester (10). But the Phantoms have also allowed 11 shorthanded goals which is third-most in the AHL. Lehigh Valley leads the AHL with most combined shorthanded goals for and allowed with 20.

– The Phantoms have scored three or more goals in nine of their last team games with 41 goals over the stretch averaging 4.1 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, 271 games with Lehigh Valley (Record: Greg Carey, 277 games)

ISLANDS IN THE STREAM – It’s been a rough season for Bridgeport (12-34-6) with just a dozen wins out of 52 games. Lehigh Valley is 2-1-0 against the B-Isles including a 9-2 trouncing in Bridgeport in the last encounter on January 29 that featured a Zayde Wisdom hat trick. 36-year-old Chris Terry (16-32-48) leads the conference in scoring and has four goals against the Phantoms in three matchups this year. But he can’t do it all by himself. His 327 goals are 12th in AHL history and his 789 points are 14th. Former Hershey Bear Brian Pinho (19-16-35) had a six-game goal streak early in the season and represented the Bears at the AHL All-Star Classic. 31-year-old captain Cole Bardreau (3-11-14) is in his sixth season with Bridgeport following five years as an energetic and popular forward with Lehigh Valley.
Henrik Tikkanen (4-14-2, 4.33, .860) and Hunter Miska (1-4-0, 4.57, .857) have struggled mightily between the pipes in the absence of Jakub Skarek who is up with the big club although Tikkanen did post his first career shutout against the Phantoms on January 12. Bridgeport is getting torched for a league-worst 3.98 goals per game. The Islanders have only three wins in 26 home games and will pressure the league record for fewest home wins which is eight by the Baltimore Skipjacks in 1987-88. But the B-Isles are a somewhat more respectable 9-14-3 on the road.

Scoring Leaders
Phantoms
Olle Lycksell 14-22-36
Samu Tuomaala 11-20-31
Jacob Gaucher 16-15-31
Anthony Richard 13-15-28
Rodrigo Abols 12-14-26
Alexis Gendron 15-7-22
Zayde Wisdom 8-13-21

Bridgeport
Chris Terry 16-32-48
Brian Pinho 19-16-35
Lian Foudy 17-16-33
Samuel Bolduc 7-21-28
Alex Jeffries 8-15-23

Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 17.6%, 21st / PK 80.5%, 24th / PP vs. BRI, 2-9, 22.2%
Bridgeport – PP 16.3%, 26th / PK 75.6%, 31st / PP vs. LV, 3-12, 25.0%

Season Series
1/12/25                      Away         L              0-5
1/25/25                      Home        W             2-1
1/29/25                      Away         W             9-2
2/28/25                      Home
3/1/25                       Home
4/2/25                       Away

Series Leaders
Lehigh Valley
Louie Belpedio 1-4-5
Zayde Wisdom 3-0-3
Samu Tuomaala 2-1-3

Bridgeport
Chris Terry 4-1-5
Liam Foudy 2-2-4
Brian Pinho 1-1-2

 

COMING UP –  The Phantoms rematch with the Bridgeport Islanders tomorrow night at PPL Center including a Philadelphia Eagles World Championship Celebration and featuring autographs with Jahan Dotson!

UPCOMING

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

Saturday, March 8 (4:00) – Phantoms at Charlotte Checkers

Sunday, March 9 (1:00) – Phantoms at Charlotte Checkers

 

 

 

 

 

 

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