Lehigh Valley Phantoms (30-22-7) vs. W-B/Scranton Penguins (32-17-8)
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Sunday, March 16, 2025 (3:05 p.m.) – Game #60
TODAY – The Phantoms continue their longest homestand of the season as they conclude the season rivalry series against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the 12th and last meeting between the Keystone State foes.
Lehigh Valley (30-22-7) has won two straight including a hard-fought 3-1 decision on Friday against the Penguins. Lehigh Valley has also won two of the last three meetings against the Penguins to improve to 4-6-1 in the season series.
With 13 games remaining in the regular season, Lehigh Valley’s Magic Number to clinch a third consecutive berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs stands at 13 points.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (32-17-8) is one of the highest-scoring teams in the AHL at 3.5 goals per game and currently stands in second place in the Atlantic Division which would carry a first-round bye for the Calder Cup Playoffs.
LAST TIME – Garrett Wilson (10th) struck for his 400th career point just 70 seconds into the game for an early spark and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms held off the highest-scoring team in the league from there in a grinding 3-1 win at PPL Center on Friday evening. Aleksei Kolosov (27/28) played perhaps his best game with the Phantoms showcasing his quickness with a number of dazzling denials including a 2-on-0 glove save on Vasily Ponomoraev late in the second period. Rutger McGroarty (14th) scored shorthanded to equalize for the Penguins but Ethan Samson (8th) rocked home a power-play blast to put the Phantoms back in front. The third period was a battle but Lehigh Valley survived a lengthy 5-on-3 penalty kill and several other quality Penguins’ chances before Zayde Wisdom (10th) put the game away in the last seconds with an empty-netter.
MEDIA MATERIALS – Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for upcoming games at the following link: https://www.phantomshockey.com/media-materials/
A RECORD FOR THE CAPTAIN – Lehigh Valley Phantoms captain Garrett Wilson is set to break the all-time Lehigh Valley record for most games with the team when he suits up for his 278th Phantoms game today passing Greg Carey who played 277 games with Lehigh Valley from 2016-20. Also celebrating his 34th birthday today, the rugged winger has scored 57-69-123 in his five seasons with the Phantoms with 661 penalty minutes, also a Lehigh Valley record. In a pro career beginning in 2011 with the AHL San Antonio Rampage and ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones, Wilson has since played in 875 career professional games over 14 seasons and recorded his milestone 400th career point with a goal early in Friday’s game scoring 186-214-400 since beginning in 2011.
Wilson’s 1257 career penalty minutes in the AHL makes him the active PIM leader and 82nd all-time in AHL history. In his 690 career AHL games with San Antonio, Portland, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Toronto he has scored 148-180-328. Wilson has also played in 84 career NHL games with Florida and Pittsburgh. Wilson will also move into seventh in Phantoms’ franchise history in games played. The franchise record is held by Peter White who played in 431 games with the Philadelphia Phantoms.
WELCOME! – The Phantoms have received forwards Nikita Grebenkin and Givani Smith via trades last Friday by the Philadelphia Flyers.
Grebenkin, 21, arrives from the Toronto Marlies in the Scott Laughton trade. The 6-2 fifth-rounder in 2022 has played most of his season with the Toronto Marlies where he has scored 9-21-30 in 39 games while also seeing action in seven NHL games with the Maple Leafs.
Smith, 27, arrives from Colorado in the Erik Johnson trade and has seen limited action this season with seven NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche and six AHL games with the Colorado Eagles. He has played 168 NHL games in parts of six seasons with Detroit, Florida, San Jose, and Colorado scoring 9-13-22. Smith has played 157 career games in the AHL where he has registered 26-27-53 including stints with Grand Rapids, Charlotte and the Colorado Eagles.
PHANTASTIC – The Phantoms are 17-9-2 since January 1. Lehigh Valley is 18-1-1 when scoring four or more goals in a game. The Phantoms are 19-0-2 when holding their opponents to two goals or fewer.
– The Phantoms are 21-6-4 when scoring the first goal and are 16-3-1 when leading at the first intermission.
WADDLE WADDLE- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (32-17-8) is hanging on to second place in the Atlantic Division in hopes of a first-round bye. Filip Larsson (10-7-3, 2.42, .923) is the team’s #1 goaltender now while Joel Blomqvist is injured. But 20-year-old Russian rookie Sergei Murashov (8-0-0, 2.34, .925) has been excellent in the AHL as well and was also very good with Wheeling in the ECHL this year (17-7-1, 2.40, 922). But really it’s the Penguins’ uptempo offense that has been especially strong rating second in the league at 3.49 goals per game to go along with a 22.2% power play which rates third
Ville Koivunen (20-34-54) is the top rookie scorer in the league and rates third overall and is a leading candidate for the Red Garrett Memorial Award. Boris Katchouk (19-25-44) has 176 games of NHL experience with Tampa Bay, Chicago and Ottawa and has scored 5-4-9 against the Phantoms. Rookie Tristan Broz (16-11-27) has scored seven goals against Lehigh Valley including an overtime winner in November. The Phantoms are 4-6-1 against the Baby Pens while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton boasts a 6-2-2 mark against Lehigh Valley.
Scoring Leaders
Phantoms
x – Olle Lycksell 17-24-41
Jacob Gaucher 20-16-36
Samu Tuomaala 11-21-32
Anthony Richard 15-17-32
x – Rodrigo Abols 12-15-27
Zayde Wisdom 10-16-26
Penguins
Ville Koivunen 20-34-54
x Emil Bemström 21-25-46
Boris Katchouk 19-25-44
Rutger McGroarty 14-24-38
Avery Hayes 17-18-35
Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 18.3%, 20th / PK 80.6%, 22nd / PP vs. WBS, 8-35, 22.6%
W-B/Scranton – PP 22.2%, 3rd / PK 85.0%, 5th / PP vs. LV, 10-44, 22.7%
SEASON SERIES
10/18/24 Away L 3-4
10/19/24 Home L 0-3
11/6/24 Away OTL 1-2 (OT)
11/8/24 Home W 5-3
11/13/24 Home W 4-3 (OT)
12/21/24 Away L 2-7
12/27/24 Away L 2-3
1/26/25 Away L 1-5
2/14/25 Away W 3-2 (SO)
2/16/25 Home L 3-4
3/14/25 Home W 3-1
3/16/25 Home
SEASON SERIES
Lehigh Valley
x – Olle Lycksell 1-5-6
Samu Tuomaala 1-5-6
Ethan Samson 3-2-5
Zayde Wisdom 1-4-5
Alexis Gendron 4-0-4
Aleksei Kolosov 1-3-0, 3.10, .893
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
x – Emil Bemstrom 6-5-11
Boris Katchouk 5-4-9
Tristan Broz 7-0-7
Sam Poulin 3-5-8
Ville Koiuvnen 2-5-7
Filip Larsson 2-1-1, 2.00, .944
COMING UP – The Phantoms are back on Wednesday night as the Milwaukee Admirals visit PPL Center for the first time ever. The AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators is led by 38-year-old Cal O’Reilly who was captain of the Phantoms for four seasons.
UPCOMING
Sunday, March 16 (3:05) – W-B/Scranton Penguins at Phantoms – Kids Takeover
Wednesday, March 19 (7:05) – Milwaukee Admirals at Phantoms – Pregame Happy Hour, $2 Draft Beers. Cal O’Reilly of the Milwaukee Admirals returns to PPL Center.
Friday, March 21 (7:05) – Syracuse Crunch at Phantoms
Saturday, March 22 (7:05) – Providence Bruins at Phantoms – First ever PHAN-CON! Costumed Characters. Fans can come dressed up as well. Photo Stations and lots of fun!
Friday, March 28 and Sunday, March 30 – NCAA Hockey Allentown Regional hosted by Penn State Nittany Lions
