Last weekend in Charlotte the Checkers wove a web made of Phantoms mistakes. Can the Hamilton Street Heroes clean things up this weekend?
Road Trip
The Phantoms spent last weekend on tobacco road where they gained a spit with the host Checkers. Friday night was a 3-2 victory, while a late comeback attempt failed in a 4-6 loss on Saturday. Sam Ersson was in net both games. Wednesday in Hartford, the team again gave up a bunch of early scores, only to fail again in a comeback. Observers have shared that much of the early scoring is coming as defenders leave the young Swedish netminder out to dry.
The Phantoms are currently 9-9-1-1 clinging to sixth place in the AHL Atlantic. While they’re on an 0-2 streak, they’ve been 5-4-0-1 in the last 10. That’s a lot of perfectly average hockey being played. A double-dip rematch with visiting Charlotte this weekend will provide an opportunity to prove that the team belongs more in the playoff mix more than the 4th-place Checkers.
Team Report
The big roster move is the Flyers’ call-up of first-round pick D Cam York. While not dominant, York’s early season work with the Phantoms has shown his ability to play big minutes and contribute on both ends of the ice and on special teams. We’ll wait to see how the Flyers use him, and what kind of success his has, but I’m not expecting him back unless he plays poorly, and no one wants that.
In return, the Flyers send D Egor Zamula back to the Phantoms. Zamula has been guilty of some lapses for both the NHL and AHL squads this young season. He’ll look to clean things up and play strong on the puck–but he may not be able to contribute on the score sheet as much as York. We’ll take it if he can be strong on the blue line.
G Nolan Maier is back from Reading, with Nagle going down to replace him. It’s difficult to know what that means–could be to get Nagle some time on the ice while riding Ersson until his wheels fall off. Could be Grosenick is getting healthy. We’ll see.
C Evan Barratt, player of only two games, and LW Alex Kile, solid contributor on the ice, head back to the ECHL for Reading and Maine respectively. The Phantoms can afford that with the activation of C Adam Brooks from injury, and the arrival of LW Kieffer Bellows from Philadelphia. Recall that Brooks has been a solid scorer for Toronto (AHL) the last few seasons, while Bellows is the former first-round pick of the Islanders, out of Sioux Falls, who has been with Bridgeport recently. C Jackson Cates returned after a short stint in Philly.
Fitzgerald has been out of the lineup again recently, down to nagging injuries or ineffectiveness–not known. Marody returned to the lineup Wednesday in Hartford. Ratcliffe was out of the lineup the past two weeks with a confirmed injury, although the nature and extent is not known. I believe F Artem Anisimov did not make the trip(s) to Charlotte and Hartford, perhaps to keep him close to Philadelphia in case of emergency call-up.
Lines Wednesday in Hartford
21 Bellows – 18 Cates – 71 Foerster
17 Wilson – 91 Desnoyers – 25 Marody
24 Brooks – 9 O’Reilly – 14 Wisdom
28 Lycksell – 15 Bellerive – 42 Hodgson
45 York – 47 Belpedio
44 Connauton – 12 Attard
37 Ginning – 29 Wylie
30 Ersson
(73 Maier)
Notes from Phantoms Media Dept.
GAME DAY!
Tickets and Parking: No new parking news to share. Good seats are still available for tonight’s game, as low as $7 on the secondary market.
Promotion: Dollar Dog Night! At select stands, from 6PM doors (hopefully 5:45 STH doors) through the first intermission, while supplies last. Get your dogs fast because I heard they sold out last time!
Saturday is Cap Night sponsored by Service Electric. Use the main entrances and get in line early to get this season’s featured cap!
Charlotte Checkers: The Checkers arrive for the rematch games this weekend with some old friends in tow: Connor Bunnaman, Gerry Mayhew, Michael Del Zotto and JF Berube are all on this team. Fan favorite Alex Lyon got called up the other day, so unfortunately will not return to PPL Center this weekend. The Checkers have a decent Power Play ranking 9th in the league. Their PK is 17th.
OFFICIALS
Referee Rob Hennessey (#87)
Referee Mike Dietrich (#15)
Linesperson Jud Ritter (#34)
Linesperson Josh Cleary (#45)
MEDIA KIT
What To Watch
- Watch to see if Grosenick is getting healthy, or if Ersson continues to carry the heavy load, or if maybe Maier gets another AHL opportunity this weekend.
- Watch Tyson Foerster. He’s been playing some good hockey lately and I expect him to appear on the score sheet tonight
- Watch Brooks and his line, whomever that may be. Even if Brooks isn’t on the score sheet tonight, expect someone from his line to show up–maybe more than once.
- Watch for veteran defensemen Belpedio and Connauton to take a larger role in the defense with the departure of Cam York. What role will Zamula have? Can he be solid defensively? Will he be asked to play big minutes on special teams?
- Watch the newcomer Bellows. +/- isn’t the be-all and end-all, but he has some big time negative numbers the last couple seasons. Can he be responsible in the defensive zone? Can he play a physical game?
- Watch the Phantoms PK. They continue to rank near the bottom of the league. Now with the departure of York, will it get even worse? Or better?
- Watch to see who takes the point on the Power Play. York had been there pretty regularly.
- Watch for some fisticuffs. This many games this close against the same opponent can breed some contempt. And, we’ve got some new guys trying to prove themselves a bit and some veterans trying to lead the team. Let’s see what happens.
What’s Next?
Back at it for the rematch tomorrow with the free hat. “Hockey Night” will be on hiatus tomorrow as I make the Phil Kessel Run* hopefully in few enough Parsecs to get to the game on time.
Three in 3 next weekend with away/home with Providence Friday and Saturday–Saturday being teddy bear toss night at home–and an away date on Sunday in Hershey.
Look for this column to return Wednesday 12/21 for a mid-week rematch with Hershey.
See you at the arena,
@Kram207
*The “Phil Kessel Run” is my joke about having to drive to Pittsburgh and back in one day. It was funnier when Phil played for the Penguins.