“Playoffs?! Don’t talk about–playoffs?! You kidding me? Playoffs?! I just hope we can win a game! Another game!”
-Jim Mora
Sundays Are Not Fun Days
After two tough road wins last weekend, the Phantoms returned home for a rematch with the second-place Penguins. It was a good effort, but we’ve been a weak Sunday team and the Penguins were better at getting the puck in the net. An ill-advised high stick by Phil Tomasino led to the game winner during the subsequent 4-minute power play. Again we ask, that dude knows he’s not still on the Penguins, right?
The “new look” Phantoms did seem to be trying to push the issue, which was a nice thing to see at the end of a long weekend. Alas it didn’t happen and while four points is nice, it doesn’t get easier.
Enter first-place Providence, in town tonight. Just like last time we played them on home ice in the middle of a week, they’re coming off a loss to a weaker division opponent. As we’ve discussed around here, they may be a bit of a paper tiger given how many times they get to play Springfield, Bridgeport and Hartford. However, they’re still a very, very good hockey team and we’ll need good play to have a chance to win tonight.
We miss happy hour.
Records and Standings
Record: 26-27-3-3
Standings: Stil in 5th place
If The Season Ended Today (spoiler: it doesn’t): Playoffs: 3 games with Hershey
Home: 12-14-2-2
Away: 14-13-1-1
Recent: Got 4 points last weekend, but ended on a weak note.
Overtime: 5-3
Shootout: 4-3
Friday: 5-10
Saturday: 14-4-1-3
Sunday: 3-7-1
[Sunday 3/3: 0-4-1]
Monday:.0-1-1
Tuesday: 0-1
Wednesday: 3-4
October: 5-3-0-1
November: 5-3-1-1
December: 5-5-1
January: 5-6
February: 2-6-0-1
March: 3-4-1
White “Road” Jerseys: 10-6-2-1
Black with Orange “Alternate” Jerseys: 6-8-1-1
Orange “Home” Jerseys: 6-6
“Black-Out” Jerseys: 0-2-0-1
“Faux-Back” Keystone Black: 2-2
Charcoal Gray “Forgotten Preseason”: 1-1
“Orange Out” 2026: 0-2
Post-Game Fan Event Game: 2-1
Players
Here are the lines and pairs from Sunday:
72 Harrison 25 Pederson 90 Richard
61 Katchouk 23 Dorwart 26 Tomasino
43 Eklind 56 Gaucher 10 Powell
9 Golder 74 Wisdom 22 Robertson
19 McDonald 59 Bonk
3 Grans 5 Jiricek
37 Ginning 15 Kyrou
35 Kolosov (64 Bjarnason)
Discussion: Just like the Flyers, it seems like we could use some firepower at the Center position. We’re not big fans of Golder, but he was out there doing his best. I tried to key on Powell but I don’t know that he played that much. Jiricek and Katchouk are settling in. Ginning covers up for Kyrou’s adventures in the attack zone. Kolosov did play reasonably well but suffered from defensive lapses and too many penalties to kill.
And just like that, the Flyers sign C Cole Knuble. He was a fourth-round draft pick in 2023 and has spent the last three seasons at Notre Dame. During his time in college he was just about a point-per-game player weighted towards assists. He’ll be on a PTO for the remainder of this season; his entry level deal will be for two seasons, 2026-27 and 2027-28. And, for the “Flyers need to stop hiring ex-Flyers” people: His Dad was Mike Knuble who played 338 games for the Flyers. The AHL doesn’t have him on the roster yet, perhaps we’ll get to see him in two weeks when the Phantoms return from Charlotte.
We do think the PTO and young guys will get some play down the stretch here. It really feels like the Flyers feel more urgency towards finding talent than they do “winning culture” right now. We’ll see, though.
GAME DAY!
Game Time: 7:05PM
Puck Drop: 7:16PM
Doors: 6:00PM–early entrance for Premier Members
Tickets: Widely Available. There are some really cheap options on the secondary market.
Parking: Nothing to report. Construction hasn’t started in earnest on the center square modification, but it will at some point. Avoid 7th and Hamilton with your car, if you can.
Providence: The Bruins affiliate is the top team in the Atlantic Division. The Phantoms have not solved them yet this season–although they’ve been competitive. This might be the Alexis Gendron revenge game?
Media Kit: Providence 4
Officials:
Referees: Liam Maaskant (#45), Patrick Hanrahan (#52) Linesperson: John Rey (#16), Ryan Knapp (#73)
What To Watch
- Watch for Bjarnason to get the net tonight, after Kolosov played two games last weekend.
- Watch to see if Gendron has some extra juice, if he plays.
- Harrison, same. Probably.
- Lately it seems like we haven’t been breaking out of our zone as easily. Watch for that, as well as the transition game at center ice. Both were lacking versus the Penguins, which decreased the number of good chances we had at the net.
- Watch to see the number and quality of chances at the net. Finishing has been a problem–at least on home ice.
- PK has been better, for the most part as long as it’s not a 4-minute penalty. Watch to see if maybe we can get a shorty tonight.
Up Next
The Phantoms head to Charlotte next weekend for Saturday and Sunday matinees. They’ll return home the following weekend to close out March. It will be another 3/3 with Friday home for Springfield and Saturday home for Hershey–both games up against IronPigs Baseball–before heading up to Wilkes Barre for a Sunday matinee.
April will feature three home games and four away games, including the final three games of the season on the road. We’ll close in Charlotte, so if that’s where our playoff fortunes end up, we’ll be able to keep the same hotel rooms for the week.
See you at the arena,
@Kram207
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