PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Crunch, Game #62

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (31-23-7) vs. Syracuse Crunch (27-19-12)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Friday, March 21, 2025 (7:05 p.m.) – Game #62

TODAY – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms continue their march for a third consecutive berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs as they continue their five-game homestand at PPL Center against the Syracuse Crunch, AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Lehigh Valley (31-23-7) has a Magic Number of 11 points with 11 games remaining in the regular season. That number could potentially be trimmed all the way down to seven points tonight with a Lehigh Valley win combined with a  Hartford regulation loss. The Phantoms have been thriving since January 1 with a record of 18-10-2 in 2025. Lehigh Valley is holding steady at fifth place in the Atlantic Division. The top six teams qualify for the playoffs.

Syracuse (27-19-12) has moved up to a fourth-place tie in the North Division and carries a four-game win streak into tonight’s game after racking up 17 goals in two games last week against Springfield.

Lehigh Valley’s five-game homestand is the longest of the season. The Phantoms are 2-1-0 so far on the homestand which wraps up on Saturday against the Providence Bruins including the first-ever Phan-Con in conjunction with Lehigh Valley Comic Con featuring various heroes and super-villains at PPL Center!

LAST TIME –  Garrett Wilson (11th) had a goal with two assists and Zayde Wisdom (11th, 12th) knocked home a pair of goals in a 6-3 win for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms over the Milwaukee Admirals on Wednesday night at PPL Center. Alexis Gendron (17th), Nikita Greenkin (11th) and Elliot Desnoyers (4th) with an empty netter at the end also scored for the Phantoms’ attack. For Grebenkin, it was his second power-play goal in two games since entering the Lehigh Valley lineup after beginning the season with nine goals as a member of the Toronto Marlies.

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

PHANTASTIC – The Phantoms are 18-10-2 since January 1. Lehigh Valley is 19-1-1 when scoring four or more goals in a game. The Phantoms are 20-0-2 when holding their opponents to two goals or fewer.

– The Phantoms are 22-6-4 when scoring the first goal and are 17-3-1 when leading at the first intermission.

– Aleksei Kolosov has started four straight games in his return to the Phantoms going 3-1-0, 2.51, .898.

– Garrett Wilson has scored 2-3-5 in the last three games.
Zayde Wisdom has racked up 4-2-6 in the last five games.
Ethan Samson is on a three-game point streak scoring 2-2-4 in the stretch after a pair of assists on Wednesday
Anthony Richard is on a four-game point streak (1-3-4)

– The Phantoms now have eight players in double digits in goals including Jacob Gaucher (20), Olle Lycksell (17), Alexis Gendron (16), Anthony Richard (15), Rodrigo Abols (12), Samu Tuomaala (11) along with Garrett Wilson (10) and Zayde Wisdom (10). Knocking on the door to break into the club are Brendan Furry (9) and Ethan Samson (9).

CRUNCH THE CRUNCH – Syracuse (27-19-12) is making a run up the North Division standings having risen to a tie for fourth and fifth place with Cleveland. The Crunch are embroiled in a three-horse race for the last two playoff spots in the division and their offense has found its stride at just the right time as evidenced by a 17-goal explosion in a two-game series against Springfield last weekend with 9-4 and 8-3 victories in their home-and-home set. Veteran and former Phantom Derrick Pouliot (7-41-48) leads the Crunch and is also tops in the AHL in assists and is first among all defensemen in points having contributed 6-15-21 on the power play. Veteran NHL’er Conor Sheary (17-29-46) has played 593 career NHL games with Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Tampa Bay and is playing in the AHL for the first time in nine years when he was with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Fourth-rounder from the University of Michigan Dylan Duke (16-15-31) is having a strong rookie campaign. Brandon Halverson (16-9-8, 2.32, .913) is eighth in the AHL in GAA and the 28-year-old has earned an NHL contract with the parent club Tampa Bay Lightning after spending most of the last five seasons in the ECHL. The Phantoms are 2-0-0 against the Crunch including an overtime win at Syracuse on January 4 via Brendan Furry’s backhand winner and a 4-2 win on February 15 at PPL Center with Alexis Gendron striking twice and Keith Petruzzelli providing a strong performance between the pipes.

Scoring Leaders
Phantoms
x – Olle Lycksell 17-24-41
Jacob Gaucher 20-16-36
Anthony Richard 15-19-34
Samu Tuomaala 11-21-32
Zayde Wisdom 12-17-29

Syracuse
Derrick Pouliot 7-41-48
Conor Sheary 17-29-46
Dylan Duke 16-15-31
Logan Brown 11-15-26
Max Crozier 8-17-25

Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 18.6%, 18th / PK 79.9%, 22nd / PP vs. SYR 0-3
Syracuse – PP 16.9%, 25th / PK 81.7%, 17th / PP vs. LV 1-5

SEASON SERIES vs. SYRACUSE
1/4/25 Away         W 3-2 (OT)
2/15/25 Home      W 4-2
3/21/25 Home
4/11/25 Away

SERIES LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Alexis Gendron 3-0-3
Louie Belpedio 0-2-2

Syracuse
Derrick Pouliot 1-2-3
Gage Goncalves 1-1-2

COMING UP –  The homestand concludes Saturday against the Providence Bruins with the first ever Phan-Con with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms

UPCOMING

Friday, March 21 (7:05) – Syracuse Crunch at Phantoms

Saturday, March 22 (7:05) – Providence Bruins at Phantoms – First ever PHAN-CON! Costumed Characters. Fans can come dressed up as well. Photo Stations and lots of fun!

Friday, March 28 and Sunday, March 30 – NCAA Hockey Allentown Regional hosted by Penn State Nittany Lions

Friday, March 28 (7:00) – Phantoms at Belleville Senators
Saturday, March 29 (7:00) – Phantoms at Laval Rocket

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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