PREVIEW: Phantoms at Bears, Game #56

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (28-20-7) vs. Hershey Bears (32-14-5)
GIANT Center, Hershey, PA
Sunday, March 2, 2025 (5:00 p.m.) – Game #56

TODAY – After sweeping the last-place Bridgeport Islanders, the opposition switches from worst to first as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms travel to Chocolatetown to take on the first-place Hershey Bears, AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals.

Lehigh Valley (28-20-7) topped the Islanders 5-3 on Saturday at PPL Center for the ninth consecutive game scoring three or more goals.

Olle Lycksell is especially hot with a nine-game point streak putting him on the verge of history as he is just one game away from tying the Lehigh Valley record 10-game point streak set by Jason Akeson in the inaugural 2014-15 season.

There are 17 games remaining in the regular season. The Phantoms continue their push for the top half of the Atlantic Division having closed to within one point of fourth place Charlotte while stationed just three points back of second place Providence and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Hershey (32-14-5) is the two-time defending Calder Cup Champions and is riding high after an overtime comeback win in overtime against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins yesterday. The Phantoms are 3-2-1 against the Bears entering Game 7 out of 10 in the season series.

LAST TIME – Olle Lycksell (16th, 17th) racked up three more points as he extended his point-streak to nine games while Jacob Gaucher (19th) started the scoring with a shorthanded goal. Cal Petersen returned to the net for the first time since January 15 and looked as strong as ever in a 23-save effort which included several sparkling denials while also helping his own cause with a nifty assist to help spark Gaucher’s breakaway shortie. Louie Belpedio and Anthony Richard also scored for the Phantoms in front a sellout crowd delighting in the Eagle Super Bowl Celebration and appearance from the Lehigh Valley’s very own Jahan Dotson.

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

TRANSACTIONS – 
Mar 2 – Xavier Bernard – D – Add – Recalled from Reading
Mar 2 – Sawyer Boulton – F – Add – Recalled from Reading
Mar 2 – Matt Miller – F – Add – Recalled from Reading

PHANTASTIC – Olle Lycksell is on a nine-game point streak since February 14 accumulating 4-9-13 in the stretch. Our 2025 AHL All-Star representative is one game away from the Lehigh Valley record 10-game point streak set by Jason Akeson in the team’s inaugural season in 2014-15. Lycksell has also taken the team-lead in scoring (17-24-41) with 41 points in just 39 games played.

– Cal Petersen is tied for most assists by a goaltender with Spencer Martin of Chicago with four. Petersen has tied Alex Lyon (2016-17) for the Lehigh Valley record for most assists in a season by a goalie.

Lehigh Valley Record Book
Point Streak
Jason Akeson – 10 (Jan-Feb 2015)
Olle Lycksell – 9 (Feb 14 2025 – Current)
Chris Conner – 9 (Feb 2016)
Franchise Record:
Vinny Prospal – 16 (Oct-Nov 1996)

Most Assists by Goalie:
Cal Petersen – 4 (2024-25)
Alex Lyon – 4 (2016-17)
Franchise record:
Scott Munroe – 6 (2008-09)

– Who’s Hot
Lycksell last 9 games: 4-9-13
Richard last 6 games: 5-4-9
Abols last 8 games: 3-5-8
Gaucher last 4 games: 4-1-5

– The Phantoms have scored three or more goals in nine straight games and also 11 of the last 12 games scoring 51 goals over the stretch since January 29 and averaging 4.25 goals per game. The Phantoms have scored five goals in four of the last six games.

– Lehigh Valley is 17-1-1 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 are 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. Lehigh Valley is 7-5 in overtimes and 4-2 in shootouts. Lehigh Valley is also tied for the league lead in one-goal games with 32. The Phantoms also are third in one-goal wins with 18 behind Hershey (21) 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, 273 games with Lehigh Valley (Record: Greg Carey, 277 games)

BEAT THE BEARS! – Hershey (32-14-5) is still tops in the Atlantic Division, like usual. But there are signs that the team might have fallen off a tad from its back-to-back Calder Cup Championship form. The Bears lost a 3-1 heartbreaker at Charlotte last week when John Leonard broke a 1-1 tie with just 28 seconds left but bounced back in the Sunday rematch to post a 2-0 shutout win backed by Clay Stevenson. Last night, Hershey trailed rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3-1 but rallied for a 5-4 overtime win with Pierrick Dube tying the game with 6:28 left and then scoring the winner in overtime while first-rounder Ivan Miroshnichenko also scored a pair of goals.
First-rounders Hendrix Lapierre (3-11-14 i6 15 games) and Ivan Miroshnichenko (15-12-27 in 32 games) are back from Washington while Ethan Frank has thrived with the big club. The appropriately named Ethan Bear (8-25-33) leads the team in scoring from the blue line and has 275 games of NHL experience including stints with Edmonston, Vancouver and Carolina. Veterans Mike Sgarbossa (7-24-31) and Mike Vecchione (13-18-31) are also carrying the load. Reigning AHL Goaltender of the Year Hunter Shepard (18-8-2, 2.90, .891) has been off his “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award form of a season ago and has especially struggled against the Phantoms going 2-2-0, 3.87, .860.
The Phantoms are 3-2-1 against Hershey entering Game 7 of the 10-game season series including a 5-4 win at GIANT Center in their last meeting on January 7. The Phantoms are 2-1-0 in Chocolatetown.

Scoring Leaders
Phantoms
Olle Lycksell 17-24-41
Jacob Gaucher 19-16-35
Samu Tuomaala 11-21-32
Anthony Richard 14-16-30
Rodrigo Abols 12-15-27

Hershey
Ethan Bear 8-27-35
Alex Limoges 13-20-33
Mike Vecchione 13-18-31
Mike Sgarbossa 7-24-31
Pierric Dube 12-17-29

Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 18.7%, 16th / PK 80.6%, 21st / PP vs. HER, 1-16, 6.3%
Bridgeport – PP 17.7%, 22nd / PK 84.0%, 9th / PP vs. LV, 2-22, 9.1%

Season Series
10/30/24                    Away         W             2-1
11/16/24                      Home        L              3-6
11/29/24                    Home        W             2-1 (OT)
12/7/24                      Home        OTL           2-3 (OT)
12/8/24                      Away         L              4-5
1/7/25                       Away         W             5-4
3/2/25                       Away
4/4/25                       Home
4/12/25                      Home
4/19/25                      Away

Series Leaders
Lehigh Valley
Olle Lycksell 2-3-5
J.R. Avon 1-4-5
Samu Tuomaala 1-3-4
Anthony Richard 0-4-4
Jacob Gaucher 3-0-3
Cal Petersen 3-2-1, 2.46, .911

Bridgeport
Ethan Bear 2-4-6
Mike Sgarbossa 2-4-6
Pierrick Dube 1-4-5
Mike Vecchione 2-2-4
Hunter Shepard 2-2-0, 3.87, .860

COMING UP –  The Phantoms catch their breath for a few days and then head south for a two-game showdown series at the Charlotte Checkers with a pair of afternoon games on Saturday and Sunday. Fourth-place Charlotte is currently just one point ahead of the Phantoms in the standings.

UPCOMING

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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