“But sometimes a fantasy Is all you need, oh oh oh”
-Billy Joel
Time To Play The Good Hockey
Here we are coming down the home stretch and in the midst of seven of eight home games to move into the meat of March. There are 15 regular season games remaining for the Phantoms in the 2022-23 season–ten of them at home. Right now, the Hamilton Street Heroes are pretty firmly in fifth place in the AHL Atlantic–four points ahead of Bridgeport and two behind Springfield. If things continue as-is, we’re looking at Portland in a first-round playoff series, which I don’t hate. In fact, overtaking Springfield would take us to Charlotte which I don’t care for. Current first-place Hershey is the team I’d like to avoid in the first round if possible.
Last weekend the Phantoms lost in Syracuse on Friday night–which they always do of course. But then played some of their best hockey of the season in winning the two home games versus Toronto and Providence–two very good clubs. Of course, the Flyers couldn’t let us have nice things, so they took forwards Elliot Desnoyer and Tyson Foerster to fill in for injuries presumably while their front office gets shaken. The Phantoms also have new signee D Will Zmolek on ATO for the remainder of the season. He’s signed on for the fall.
How does Danny Briere feel about helping the Phantoms win in the playoffs?
Last night in Wilkes the Phantoms kept it going despite the roster losses, and won 4-1 following two empty-net goals.
Here’s how they lined up:
28 Lycksell – 51 Anisimov – 23 Brink
17 Wilson – 24 Brooks – 25 Marody
20 Willman – 9 O’Reilly – 42 Hodgson
15 Bellerive – 18 J Cates – 14 Wisdom
4 Zamula – 47 Belpedio
37 Ginning – 12 Attard
44 Connauton – 3 Karashik
30 Ersson (73 Maier)
Notes from the Phantoms Media Department (prior to the Scranton game):
NEWEST PHANTOM
Defenseman Will Zmolek has signed a one-year entry-lever contract with the Philadelphia Flyers for the 2023-24 season and will join the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on an Amateur Tryout Contract for the remainder of the 2022-23 season. The 23-year-old from Bemidji State (MN) is a 6-foot-4 native of Rochester, MN with a left-handed shot who scored 4-17-21 this season. The rugged and durable alternate captain with the Beavers was among the NCAA leaders in time-on-ice. Will is the son of former NHL’er Doug Zmolek (SJ, DAL, LA, CHI) and the younger brother of Riese Zmolek of the AHL Iowa Wild.
YOUTHFUL LEADERS
A trio of young prospects are tops on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in scoring. A pair of 21-year-olds are tops with rookie Elliot Desnoyers (20-18-38) tied for the team-lead in points with Tyson Foerster (18-20-38) who is in his second pro season.
23-year-old North American rookie Olle Lycksell (10-26-36) is next having produced at almost a point-per-game in his 37 games with the team while also receiving multiple call-ups and eight games in the NHL with Philadelphia. And rookie defenseman Ronnie Attard (8-17-25) leads Phantoms blueliners in points and joined Foerster at the AHL All-Star Classic in Laval.
While Foerster had played for the Phantoms prior to the 2022-23 season, the 2020 first-rounder has never played a full 72-game season at the pro level. He had just 24 games in the abbreviated 2020-21 season that started in February and last year, at 19, only played in nine games with Lehigh Valley before a shoulder injury in November derailed his season.
MOST GOALS BY ROOKIE WITH LEHIGH VALLEY
22 – Danick Martel (2015-16)
20 – Elliot Desnoyers (2022-23)
19 – Connor Bunnaman (2018-19)
PHANTASTIC!
– Garrett Wilson has scored 6-5-11 in the last eight games in a stretch that has included a five-game point streak as well as a hat trick on February 20 against Hartford.
– Artem Anisimov had another three-game goal streak from February 27 through March 5. The 13-year NHL veteran of 771 games has had three such streaks for the Phantoms this season.
– Sam Ersson is 5-1-0, 2.19. 912 with one shutout in his last six games with the Phantoms since February 4. Since making his NHL debut on December 23, the rookie goaltender has gone 8-3-0 with the Phantoms and also 6-1-0 with the Flyers for a combined record of 14-4-0.
– Elliot Desnoyers has scored 6-9-15 in his last 11 games since February 1. The 21-year-old center was named AHL Rookie of the Month for February scoring 5-9-14 in just eight games played last month while also making is NHL debut
– The Phantoms are….
21-7-5 when scoring 3 or more goals
20-1-1 when allowing 2 goals or fewer
16-5-6 in one-goal games
13-3-6 when scoring the first goal
17-2-4 when leading after two periods
4-3 in overtime and 3-3 in shootouts
Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Elliot Desnoyers 20-18-38
Tyson Foerster 18-20-38
Olle Lycksell 10-26-36
Garrett Wilson 11-18-29
Artem Anisimov 16-12-28
Ronnie Attard 8-17-25
GAME DAY!
It’s Saturday Night Hockey Live and it’s “Fantasmas Weekend” at the PPL Center, a whole fiesta of hockey. Or, whatever.
O Canada! It’s Belleville! This is the Senators only visit to Allentown this season. They are currently in sixth place in the AHL North but are coming in on a 3-0-1 tear and 6-3-1 in their last 10. They lost in OT in Utica last night. They have Jake Lucchini, whom I remember from Scranton. Our old friend Brennan Saulnier is on the team, although it appears he hasn’t played sine 2/20. Former first-rounder Egor Sokolov leads them in scoring. They recently had a coaching change which might explain their recent improved play. On the season, though, their power play is 13th and their PK is 28th. The Phantoms lost to Belleville at their place, back in November. Belleville just lost a couple players to Ottawa this week, it should be noted.
As far as special teams go, the Phantoms have returned to the worst PK% in the country at 30th; luckily they have a top-10 power play, though.
Look for “Fiesta-Themed” offerings at the concession stands and bars around the concourse. Any chance I can get a Pacifico? I love those.
I parked in the Maple Street deck last game. Something interesting happened. I’ll write about it when I get it completely figured out.
Good seats still remain for today’s game–on both the primary and secondary markets.
Tonight’s game will be on WFMZ-69 on local cable, as well as the usual Service Electric and AHL.TV.
OFFICIALS
Referee: Justin Kea (#44)
Referee: Michael Zyla (#4)
Linesperson: Patrick Dapuzzo (#57)
Linesperson: Jud Ritter (#34)
MEDIA KIT
What To Watch
- Watch to see who starts in net. Last weekend Ersson took the first two and Maier got the Sunday game. I’d probably do that again. Ersson with a nice outing last night. Can he keep it up?
- Watch to see if you think Brink has hit the “rookie wall” as his play has been somewhat lackluster lately.
- Watch to see how badly you think we miss Desnoyer and Foerster.
- Look for Brooks and Marody to be involved in the scoring tonight. From what I hear, they are now both completely healthy.
- Watch to see if you can figure out what’s wrong with the penalty kill. I have some ideas, but I want to check it out some more.
- Take a look at the special concession additions and see if you can find anything good.
Coming Up
Back at it again tomorrow with Utica in town and their horrible red jerseys that were once so good before the Devils affiliation. Our last happy hour of the season on Wednesday night this week. Then we go Friday-Sunday next weekend to close out this stretch. The Wednesday and Friday games are with Hershey, while the Sunday game is with the last-place Penguins. The following weekend while the Phantoms are on the road, there will be College Hockey at the arena!
See you at the arena,
@Kram207
Be First to Comment