Last night the Phantoms locker room was silent after their 3-2 loss to Albany, plagued by doubt-digit penalties and “correctable mistakes.”
But alternate captain Andrew Gordon said those mistakes should be resolved in time for tonight’s 7:05 puck drop against Binghamton.
The Senators are five-points behind Lehigh Valley in the East Division, and are traveling to the PPL Center with confidence after shutting out fourth-ranked (in Eastern Conference) Syracuse Crunch, 5-0 last night in Binghamton, NY.
Prior to last night’s defeat the Phantoms were running on confidence from a four-game winning streak on the road, but the timing of last night’s loss to kick off a three-in-three weekend will force the team to quickly move forward from loss, and channel in on some of that confidence they had before.
The Phantoms will play five games in the next eight days, including back-to-back divisional matchups tonight as they face Binghamton and tomorrow in Hershey. Lehigh Valley will play Hershey again on Wednesday at the PPL Center.
Lehigh Valley traveled to Binghamton, NY on New Years Eve, where they lost 6-2, splitting the series 2-2. Stolarz allowed five goals in 32 minutes on NYE before being relieved by Rob Zepp. After tonight, the East Division foes will play five more times this season.
- Terry Murray will have some adjustments to make before tonight’s game however, as the Flyers have recalled Jason Akeson to Philadelphia today. Akeson started on the first line with Blair Jones and Taylor Leier last night. Jones left mid-way though last night’s matchup after blocking a shot and did not return to the ice. If Jones is unable to play tonight, Murray will have to rework a relatively consistent first line.
- With the Akeson transaction, the Phantoms have recalled Kevin Goumas, who was sent down to Reading on Wednesday.
- Martin Ouellette will likely have his second AHL start tonight in order to rest now-No. 1 goaltender Anthony Stolarz for Sunday’s battle in Hershey.
- As the race heats up in conference and divisional standing the Phantoms schedule left room for a few games in hand over teams hunting for the same conference and divisional positions.
- Lehigh Valley is currently ranked third in the East Division and ninth in the Eastern Conference, one spot below the would-be post season cutoff. But with one game-in-hand over Hershey (ranked second in the division), and three over Wilkes-Barre and Albany (first in the East, eighth in the conference, respectively) the Phantoms have room to make up and lost ground from their struggles earlier this season.
- Tonight will likely be the largest Phantoms game attendance this year, as the box office announced yesterday that the game is completely sold out, standing room included. Tonight will be the Phantoms fourth-consecutive sellout and the ninth in 17 home games.
- Bobby Clarke will be in attendance tonight as the Phantoms second Legends Night of the season./
