PREVIEW: Phantoms at Monsters, Game #25

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (9-10-5) at Cleveland Monsters (16-6-2)
Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, OH
Saturday, December 14, 2024 (7:30 p.m.) – Game #25

TONIGHT – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms conclude their four-game road trip with the finale of their two-game series at the Cleveland Monsters, AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Cleveland (16-6-2) is in first place in the North Division and is currently on a three-game point streak (2-0-1)

The Phantoms are looking to earn a split in the series after dropping a hard-fought 3-2 decision on Thursday.

LAST TIME –Zayde Wisdom (2nd) posted a two-point game and Garrett Wilson (4th) broke a scoreless tie in the second period but the Cleveland Monsters rallied from behind with three goals in the third period for a 3-2 win on Thursday night in northeast Ohio. After Trey Fix-Wolansky got the Monsters on the board just seconds in the third period with a 5-on-3 goal, Wisdom’s top-shelf snipe lesss than two minutes later put the Phantoms back on top. But Cleveland received goals from Hunter McKown (1st) and Stanislav Svozil (2nd) just two minutes apart to turn the tables on the Phantoms and hang on for the win. Cal Petersen was strong in net with a 28-save performance for Lehigh Valley while Zach Sawchenko recorded the win for Cleveland while AHL scoring leader Luca Del Bel Balluz had a pair of assists for the Monsters.

MEDIA MATERIALS – Fans can browse rosters and Media Materials for both teams and the AHL at the following link. https://www.phantomshockey.com/media-materials/

TRANSACTIONS – 
Dec 8 Sawyer Boulton – Add – Recalled from Reading
Dec 8 Sam Sedley – Add – Recalled from Reading
Dec 8 Mason Primeau – Add – Recalled from Reading
Dec 11 Mason Primeau – Del – Loaned to Reading

GAUCHER SIGNS NHL DEAL – The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward Jacob Gaucher to a two-year, entry-level contract. Gaucher, 23, had been on an AHL contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and is in his second season with the team and his third in pro hockey. The Longquiel, Quebec native leads the Phantoms with 10 goals and also has five assists for 15 points which is fourth on Lehigh Valley. Gaucher scored this season’s Teddy Bear Toss goal on December 7 against Hershey and recorded his first career hat trick on November 2 at Springfield. Last year, Gaucher came through with the playoff-series clinching goal in overtime to eliminate the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 26, 2024.

PHANTASTIC – 

– Jacob Gaucher became the first Phantom to reach double digits in goals this season after scoring his 9th and 10th on Tuesday at Toronto. This season’s Teddy Bear Toss goal scorer has three goals in the last three games and four goals in the last five. Gaucher has already eclipsed his AHL rookie season total last year of eight goals.

– Second-year pro J.R. Avon has gotten it going with goals in back-to-back games to begin the road trip with his first of the season on Sunday in Hershey followed by a more picturesque goal blasting one top-shelf on the power play in his homecoming to Toronto.

– The Phantoms are tied with Syracuse for most overtime games this season at 10. The Phantoms are 4-4 in overtime decisions and are 1-1 in shootouts. Lehigh Valley is second in overtime wins trailing only Cleveland (5).

– Lehigh Valley has played in 16 one-goal decisions out of its first 23 games going 7-4-5 in the squeakers. That’s second in the AHL for most one-goal games trailing only Hershey (17). The Phantoms are 5-0-2 at home in one-goal games.

SPOOKY SHOWDOWN IN CLEVELAND – Paranormal mascots collide when the Phantoms and Monsters square off in northeast Ohio this week. Cleveland (16-6-2) is in first place in the North Division and recently had a 10-game win streak. Currently, the Monsters are on a three-game point streak (2-0-1). The Monsters’ high-tempo offense is cranking out 3.54 goals per game, 5th in the AHL. Luca Del Bel Balluz (15-13-28) is tied for the AHL lead in scoring an linemate Trey Fix-Wolansky (13-14-27) is only one point behind and sita at 99 career goals with the Monsters. 31-year-old veteran Rocco Grimaldi (6-17-23) has proven he’s still got it with a career-high 36 goals with the Chicago Wolves last year and a fast start this season. Defenseman Daemon Hunt recently joined from the Iowa Wild coming over in a trade for hard-shooting former #6 overall draft pick David Jiricek. Jet Greaves (8-4-2, 3.21, .902) was recalled to Columbus. 35-year-old native Ohioan Trent Vogelhuber is in his second season with the Monsters and is the youngest head coach in the AHL.

SCORING LEADERS
Lehigh Valley
Samu Tuomaala 8-12-20
Olle Lycksell 5-13-18
Anthony Richard 6-10-16
Jacob Gaucher 10-6-16
Oscar Eklind 4-7-11

Cleveland
Luca Del Bel Balluz 15-13-28
Trey Fix-Wolansky 13-14-27
Rocco Grimaldi 6-17-23
Denton Mateychuk 7-16-23
Owen Sillinger 7-13-20

Special Teams:
Lehigh Valley – PP 21.3%, 7rd / PK 82.8%, 13th
Cleveland – PP 20.7%, 10th / PK 83.9%, 10th

COMING UP –  Lehigh Valley’s next home games are Wednesday, December 18 against the Providence Bruins and Friday, December 20 against the Toronto Marlies on meLVin Youth Knit Winter Cap Night for the kids in a game featuring holiday-style fun!

UPCOMING

Saturday, December 14 (7:30) – Phantoms at Cleveland Monsters

Wednesday, December 18 (7:05) – Providence Bruins at Phantoms – Pregame Happy Hour, $2 Draft Beers

Friday, December 20 (7:05) – Toronto Marlies at Phantoms – meLVin Youth Winter Knit Cap presented by Reilly Children’s Hospital

Saturday, December 21 (6:05) – Phantoms at W-B/Scranton Penguins

Friday, December 27 (7:05) – Phantoms at W-B/Scranton Penguins

Saturday, December 28 (7:05) – Charlotte Checkers at Phantoms – Postgame Photographs with the Phantoms players presented by NJM Insurance

Tuesday, December 31 (7:05) – Charlotte Checkers at Phantoms – Light-up glow sticks from Penn Community Bank. World’s Largest Puck-Drop at Midnight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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