It’s another “Kid’s Day” in the Queen City of Allentown, and a great day for hockey!
But it’s also another early-season Sunday afternoon game. We’re not Hershey. I don’t know why they agreed to this scheduling…it’s great for families, but so many and so early is puzzling during football season. Providence is in town today for Haunted Popcorn Day! (?)
Looking Back
Throwback weekend was a bit hit-or-miss last time out. The Phantoms got Crunch’d on Saturday night and then came back Sunday for a hard-fought win, shutting out a tired Belleville team who was completing the tour of Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre, Hershey, Allentown) in one weekend.
Then up to Rochester Friday night for our first look at the Buffalo affiliate. The Phantoms lost to the ‘Merks 6-3 in a game that didn’t feel that close as we followed along. It was the first road loss for the season, by the Phantoms, and their first time wearing the “road” orange jerseys.
Roster Update
F Jacob Gaucher has been up to the Flyers and back to the Phantoms this week.
The captain, F Garrett Wilson, has returned from the Flyers.
Help on defense, D Hunter McDonald returned yesterday
The young bucks, Bump, Knuble, and Bonk, remain with the Flyers, and probably will for the foreseeable future.
Lines In Rochester Friday
91 Grundstrom 77 Luchanko 56 Gaucher
12 Aston-Reese 23 Studnicka 90 Pautov
25 Foote 9 Thompson 10 Goyette
17 Wilson 74 Wisdom 15 Powell
4 Murchison 42 Gill
92 Edward 44 Dineen
46 Sevigny 3 Grans
64 Bjarnason (Backup: 35 Kolosov)
Scratches:
13 Alex Ciernik 14 Jonathan Gruden 18 Danila Klimovich (?injured) 26 Cooper Wylie 27 Owen McLaughlin (?injured) 65 Andrew Perrott (?injured) 76 Carson Bantle
Unable to confirm injuries, but labeled where rumors have been heard.
Phantoms By The Numbers
Overall: 4-4-1
Place: 5th
Home: 1-3-1
Road: 3-1
October: 4-4-1
November:
Fridays: 1-1
Saturdays: 1-2-1
Sundays: 1-1
Wednesdays: 1-0
“Home” White Jerseys: 3-2-1
Throwback Jerseys: 1-1
“Road” Orange Jerseys: 0-1
Special Providence in the Fall of the Bruins
The last-place Bruins arrive at the PPL Center for the first time this season. The AHL Boston affiliate is 4-6 after an overtime win Friday night in Springfield, as much of the league took the Saturday Halloween holiday off last night. Old friends F Alexis Gendron and D Maxence Guenette are on this team. As far as prospects, look for F Mikey Eyssimont and F Brendan Gaunce as they are still listed as prospects.
From Phantoms Media:
It is a very different vibe in Rhode Island where the Providence Bruins (3-6-0) went from Kilpatrick Trophy winners last year as the top team in the league to one of the worst out of the gates this season in something of a rebuilding year. Gone are goalie Michael DiPietro and captain Patrick Brown as well as Georgii Merkulov, Fabian Lysell, Riley Tufte and Michael Callahan among others. NHL veteran Mikey Eyssimont (9-1-10) has single-handedly provided the majority of the offense and already has a pair of hat tricks this season. Eyssimont has 269 career NHL games mostly with Boston, Tampa Bay and Winnipeg and had not been a regular in the AHL since 2021-22 with Manitoba. Fourth-rounder from Latvia Dana Locmelis (0-5-5) had 15 goals as a rookie last season. Max Guenette (0-2-2) played in 46 games with the Phantoms last season while scoring 2-22-24 and sometimes serving as an alternate captain. Simon Zajicek (1-3-0, 2.30, .907) very much impressed in his AHL rookie season at 24 years old going 14-6-1, 2.44, .915. Former Penguins and Monsters blueliner Billy Sweezey (1-1-2) has been named the new captain of the P-Bruins. Trent Whitfield has taken over as head coach after spending the previous 10 seasons as an assistant coach. Before that, he played for the Providence Bruins (2009-13) and served as team captain. Providence has been shutout three times already but bounced back for a 5-2 win against Utica last Saturday. The Bruins will return for two more games at PPL Center on November 25 and November 28.
GAME DAY!
Show time is 3:05PM with the puck dropping around 3:15PM. All gates at 2:00PM with Premier Member entrances at 1:15PM.
Tickets: Good seats are still available and there are some deals to be had on the secondary market for this matinee.
Parking: Remember that most street parking is not monitored on Sundays in the city of Allentown. Use caution in the arena block. Use the decks and lots for more predictable results.
Promotions: It’s a “Haunted on Hamilton” game today! Watch for arena security guidelines concerning costumes and accessories. There’s also a popcorn bucket giveaway which may include some discounts on refills in the future!
Media Kit: Providence 11 1 26
Officials: Rob Hennessey (#87), Mike Dietrich (#15) Lines: Dominic Moore (#59), Davids Rozitis (#62)
What To Watch
- Time for Kolosov to have a big game in net
- Look for some better play on the defense assuming McDonald is in there and in the right mindset
- Watch to see if they get Gaucher back to center. It might make a deeper lineup.
- Watch to see if they wear something other than the home white jerseys
- Watch to see if McDonald fights. He’s been working on that part of his game!
Looking Ahead
The Phantoms are off to the Great White North this week with games on Wednesday in Laval followed by Belleville and Hamilton Friday and Saturday respectively.
We’ll reconvene here at 7th and Hamilton the weekend of November 13 for Friday night versus Hamilton and Saturday versus Charlotte before the team completes the 3/3 Sunday in the Wyoming Valley.
See you at the arena–if the football gets boring….
@Kram207