Remember that time last Sunday when the hockey team lost? Let’s try that again; maybe the results will be different.
Sunday Recap
The Penguins affiliate came to town and ruined meLVin’s day as he was set to visit with many friends and give out some jerseys a few weeks before his birthday. The Phantoms fell behind early, tried to make it a game within one point at the second intermission. There were some nice chances as well as some abuse to the logo on the Penguins goalie’s chest. Then the wheels came off. Important to remember that it was the last of a 3/3 where Wilkes Barre did not have a Friday game and their only travel was down the turnpike from the Wyoming Valley. We also noticed that they were working very quick shifts in the early part of the game. They had the better legs in the third period, that’s for sure. Not to mention our goalie was in his fourth city in three days after playing Friday night.
The Penguins did get two power play goals, but they happened as part of the same sequence which started with a 5-on-3. The Phantoms killed two early penalties. The PK is not out of the woods yet, but this wasn’t the disaster that some made it out to be, vis-a-vis the PK–or the Penguins lowly regarded power play for that matter.
The pregame assertion that this would be a Phantoms coming-out for Phil Tomasino was exactly wrong on our part. In fact, his perfect pass to his former teammate for an “unassisted” goal early in the third could be seen as the turning point in the game. Could he still be on the payroll up there?
Since Sunday, the Phantoms have been off, while the Pens affiliate dispatched Hershey at home on Wednesday. Tonight, the Phantoms will have a slight travel and rest advantage, but not as large as the one against us on Sunday.
Records and Standings
Record: 21-18-2-2
Standings: Fifth place in the AHL Atlantic
Home: 11-8-1-1
Away: 10-10-1-1
Recent: 1-2 last weekend; 3-7 last 10
Overtime: 4-2
Shootout: 4-2
Friday: 4-8
Saturday: 13-2-0-2
Sunday: 2-4-1
[Sunday 3/3: 0-2-1]
Monday:.0-1-1
Wednesday: 3-3
October: 5-3-0-1
November: 5-3-1-1
December: 5-5-1
January: 5-6
February: 0-1
“Winter Semester” Xmas to All Stars: 7-7-1
White “Road” Jerseys: 9-4-1-1
Black with Orange “Alternate” Jerseys: 4-5-1-1
Orange “Home” Jerseys: 5-4
“Black-Out” Jerseys: 0-2
“Faux-Back” Keystone Black: 2-2
Charcoal Gray “Forgotten Preseason”: 1-1
Post-Game Fan Event Game: 2-0
Player Update
As mentioned, Kolosov returned from his backup stint in Philadelphia Saturday afternoon in time to start for the Phantoms on Sunday afternoon. Perets never left though, which signaled Kolosov’s return to Philadelphia. Exactly what happened.
But, now he’s back. And, Perets returns to Reading. So we’re back where we started. No other player movement this week.
Lines Last Sunday Versus Pens
22 Robertson 25 Pederson 26 Tomasino
90 Richard 23 Dorwart 20 Marody
72 Gendron 56 Gaucher 12 Kaplan
17 Wilson 74 Wisdom 36 Boulton
37 Ginning 15 Kyrou
3 Grans 59 Bonk
19 McDonald 76 Schmidt
35 Kolosov (Backup: 64 Bjarnason)
Discussion: Don’t hate the lines, really. Given injuries and call-ups it’s about the best we can muster right now. Bonk had a couple of the late penalties as the game swung. Growing pains. We’ll get that cleaned up.
GAME DAY!
It’s a Dollar Dog Friday at the arena tonight for the rematch with the Penguins’ affiliate.
Doors: 6:00PM All Gates. 5:45PM Premier Members WFMZ and Air Products Entrances.
Show Time: 7:05PM. Hockey: 7:15PM
Promotion: $1 hot dogs from doors open until the end of the first period.
Tickets: Widely Available. Early in the week there were some deals to be had on the secondary market. Use caution, though, I’ve noticed in monitoring that market that sometimes there are listings for seats that don’t exist or that are definitely not available. Perhaps just an honest mistake about section or seat numbers, but buyer beware.
Parking and Traffic: It does not appear that there are any other shows going on at Symphony Hall or the Archer, so traffic and parking should be manageable. We’re currently 12-7 in our season-long battle with the parking overlords. Snow and associated detritus continue to get in the way in certain areas for parking and walking.
MEDIA KIT
OFFICIALS
Referees: Alex Lepkowski (#44), Mike Dietrich (#15) Lines: Dylan Blujus (#57), Patrick Dapuzzo (#57)
What To Watch
- Watch for Kolosov in net again
- Watch to see if the Phantoms can score first. Playing from behind against this Pens team isn’t easy despite the fact that they aren’t as good as they were to start the season.
- Watch to see if the Phantoms can kill the penalties. The Pens power play is pretty poor, and the two markers they got Sunday were in the third period off both ends of the same 5-on-3. You’ve still got to be better, but that didn’t look like the systemic problem the team has been having all season.
- Watch to see if the defense can play with some jump.
- Watch to see if the Pens cycle their lines quickly at the start of the games. They did on Sunday and it could be one of the reasons (Phantoms at the back end of the 3-in-3 is the big one) they had the better legs at the end of the game.
- Watch to see how many hot dogs we can go through and if it is a new record.
Up Next
Off to Bridgeport tomorrow and then it’s the All Star Break.
Oh, almost forgot: D Christian Kyrou was names the Phantoms representative for All Stars, to replace F Denver Barkey who has been up with the Flyers. Here’s an interview:
https://x.com/DanMoscaritolo/status/2019531894350589979?s=20
See you at the arena, the Phantoms return Saturday 2/14 versus Cleveland and Sunday 2/15 versus Syracuse,
@Kram207