A spooky start to the second half
The Phantoms hoped to use the break to their advantage and springboard themselves into the playoffs, but that was not the case. The Albany Devils came into Lehigh Valley and stole two points quite handily from the Phantoms. Albany truck just minutes into the game and then scored two more in the second period before the Phantoms could manage a goal of their own. Rob Zepp got the start for the Phantoms after being sent down due to the return of Steve Mason and stopped 28 of 31 shots in the 4-1 loss. However the Phantoms could not let this loss linger, as it was the start of a 3-in-3 stretch for the club.
***
The PPL Center was hopping again Friday night as the Phantoms hosted the rival Hershey Bears. Unfortunately, this game didn’t end up any better. Hershey scored just a few minutes in then added another later in the first. The Phantoms struck back two minutes later with Taylor Leier scoring thanks to assists by Nick Cousins and Jason Akeson. That was the high point of the game, and it all went downhill from there. Anthony Stolarz got the start, but played just 35 minutes as he allowed four goals on 22 shots before being pulled. Zepp didn’t fare much better, allowing two goals on 13 shots in just over a period of play.
Things were looking dismal for the Phantoms as they headed on the road to face another rival team, the Penguins.
***
The Phantoms went into Wilkes-Bare and smoked the Penguins by a score of 6-2 to salvage one win during the weekend. Like any good game with the Penguins, this one featured a total of 150 penalty minutes (93 Penguins, 67 Phantoms). It was a nice overall team effort for the Phantoms who has six different goal scorers and nine different players tallying points.
***
Lehigh Valley will play host to the Worcester Sharks tonight before going on the road this weekend to play in Binghamton against the Senators on Saturday then back against those Bears in Hershey on Sunday.
***
Nick Cousins honored
Nick Cousins was selected as the AHL player of the month for January. Cousins lead the league in points with 17 (7 G, 10 A) in 13 games.
***
January Juniors Jamboree
| League | Player | Position | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | |
|
QMJHL
|
Nicolas Aube-Kubel
|
RW
|
Last 5 Games | 5 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| January | 11 | 10 | 8 | 18 | |||
| Season | 43 | 25 | 28 | 53 | |||
|
WHL
|
Radel Fazleev
|
LW
|
Last 5 Games | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| January | 14 | 5 | 5 | 10 | |||
| Season | 50 | 16 | 23 | 39 | |||
|
WHL
|
Tyrell Goulbourne
|
LW
|
Last 5 Games | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| January | 13 | 3 | 8 | 11 | |||
| Season | 43 | 17 | 17 | 34 | |||
|
QMJHL
|
Samuel Morin
|
D
|
Last 5 Games | 5 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| January | 8 | 2 | 8 | 10 | |||
| Season | 20 | 4 | 15 | 19 | |||
|
WHL
|
Travis Sanheim
|
D
|
Last 5 Games | 5 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| January | 12 | 0 | 16 | 16 | |||
| Season | 46 | 10 | 37 | 47 |
***
