PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Islanders, Game #55

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (27-20-7) vs. Bridgeport Islanders (12-35-6)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Saturday, March 1, 2025 (7:05 p.m.) – Game #55

TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are back at PPL Center and have that Super Bowl Championship feeling as they look to complete a two-game series sweep of the Bridgeport Islanders, AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders.

Jahan Dotson of the Philadelphia Eagles will be signing autographs on the concourse before the game and the Nazareth High School product will also be making special appearances throughout the night.

Lehigh Valley (27-20-7) triumphed yesterday 5-2 upon its return from a four-game road trip through the upper midwest in which the Phantoms went 2-1-1.  The Phantoms have points in six of the last eight games (5-2-1) as well as eight out of 11 (7-3-1) averaging 4.2 goals per game during the stretch.

There are 18 games remaining in the regular season. The Phantoms are pushing for the top half of the Atlantic Division having closed to within one point of fourth place Charlotte while stationed four p[points back of second place Providence and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Bridgeport (12-35-6) is having a tough season with the worst record in the AHL. The Phantoms are 3-1-0 against the Iaslanders including a 9-2 drubbing in Connecticut on January 29 while setting a franchise record for most goals in a road game.

LAST TIME – Jacob Gaucher (17th, 18th) scored a pair of goals and goaltender Keith Petruzzelli was magnificent between the pipes after replacing an injured Parker Gahagen as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms returned to PPL Center to post a 5-2 win over the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday night. Brendan Furry (8th), Olle Lycksell (15th), and Alexis Gendron (16th) also scored for the Phantoms who made it eight consecutive games with three or more goals. Lycksell’s goal and assist stretches his point streak to eight games (2-8-10) which is the longest for the Phantoms this season. Adam Ginning and Zayde Wisdom both contributed a pair of assists.

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

PHANTASTIC – Olle Lycksell is on an eight-game point streak since February 14 accumulating 2-8-10 in the stretch. Our 2025 AHL All-Star representative is now within striking distance of the Lehigh Valley record 10-game point streak set by Jason Akeson in the team’s inaugural season in 2014-15. Lycksell’s streak is the longest for the Phantoms since an eight-game point streak by Travis Sanheim in February 2018. Chris Conner also had a nine-game point streak in February 2016. The franchise record is a 16-game point streak by Vinny Prospal of the Philadelphia Phantoms in the first season of the team’s existence in the 1996-97 campaign.

– Anthony Richard has scored 4-4-8 in the last five games.

– Brendan Furry has four shorthanded goals and was just two seconds away from a fifth shortie with his goal against Bridgeport on Friday. He’s tied for second in the AHL in shorthanded markers 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 eight straight games and also 10 of the last 11 games scoring 46 goals over the stretch since January 29 and averaging 4.2 goals per game. The Phantoms have scored five goals in three of the last five games.

– Lehigh Valley is 16-1-1 when scoring four or more goals in a game. The Phantoms are 18-0-2 when holding their opponents to two goals or fewer.

– The Phantoms is second in the AHL with 18 overtime games trailing only Cleveland (19). 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 scoring all three in November. 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 (20). 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, 272 games with Lehigh Valley (Record: Greg Carey, 277 games)

ISLANDS IN THE STREAM – It’s been a rough season for Bridgeport (12-35-6) with just a dozen wins out of 52 games. Lehigh Valley is 3-1-0 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) is third in the AHL 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 (3-12-15) is in his sixth season with Bridgeport following five years as an energetic and popular forward with Lehigh Valley.
Henrik Tikkanen (4-15-2, 4.36, .859) 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 4.0 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 9-15-3 on the road.

Scoring Leaders
Phantoms
Olle Lycksell 15-23-38
Samu Tuomaala 11-20-31
Jacob Gaucher 18-15-33
Anthony Richard 13-16-29
Rodrigo Abols 12-14-26
Alexis Gendron 16-7-23
Zayde Wisdom 8-15-23

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 18.4%, 17th / PK 80.7%, 22nd / PP vs. BRI, 4-13, 30.8%
Bridgeport – PP 16.1%, 28th / PK 75.0%, 30th / PP vs. LV, 3-14, 21.4%

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       W            5-2
3/1/25                       Home
4/2/25                       Away

Series Leaders
Lehigh Valley
Louie Belpedio 1-5-6
Zayde Wisdom 3-2-5
Olle Lycksell 3-1-4
Jacob Gaucher 2-2-4

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

COMING UP –  The Phantoms are back at it tomorrow in Chocolatetown tangling with the rival Hershey Bears at 5:00 p.m. After that, the Phantoms catch their breath for a few days and then head south for a two-game series at the Charlotte Checkers with a pair of afternoon games on Saturday and Sunday.

UPCOMING

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

Friday, March 14 (7:05) – W-B/Scranton Penguins at Phantoms – St. Patrick’s Day Fun

Sunday, March 16 (3:05) – W-B/Scranton Penguins at Phantoms – Kids Takeover

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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