Phantoms update: Phil Myers hurt, Danick Martel hurting other teams
10/20 – 5-2 WIN
10/21 – 4-3 WIN (Highlights)
The Phantoms keep on winning, cruising to a 5-1-1 record and the most points in the AHL. They’ve done it mostly on the back of the dynamic Danick Martel / Mike Vecchione / Nicolas Aube-Kubel line, which has combined for 10 of the team’s 24 goals this season. Let’s use the comments to think of a creative nickname for the line.
Philippe Myers (D): 1 GP, 1 shot
Undrafted Free Agent
Well, this is no good. Myers exited the game early on Friday and did not return. No updates have been given on his status and obviously did not play on Saturday. The team is already without T.J. Brennan on the back-end as well.
Mark Friedman (D): 2 GP, 2 assists, 5 shots
2014 3rd Round Pick, 86th overall
Friedman gets his first two points of the season! He had one in each game and both were at even strength. With injuries to Myers/Brennan and the potential for Samuel Morin to get called up soon, Friedman will be put in the spotlight.
Samuel Morin (D): 2 GP, 1 goal, 2 assists, 6 shots, 6 PIM
2013 1st Round Pick, 11th overall
Morin was a wrecking ball in what may be his last weekend in the Lehigh Valley for quite a bit. The injury for Andrew MacDonald (that will see him sidelined for the next 4-6 weeks) could finally enable Morin to get that extended look in the NHL.
Mike Vecchione (C): 2 GP, 2 assists, 4 shots, 2 PIM
Undrafted Free Agent
A pair of primary assists from Vecchione gives him 7 points (1 G, 6 A) in his first 7 AHL games. He is finding a lot of success centering Danick Martel and Nicolas Aube-Kubel.
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel (RW): 2 GP, 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots, 7 PIM
2014 2nd Round Pick, 48th overall
Good things are happening for the 21-year old. It’s now 5 points (3 G, 2 A) in 7 games after only scoring 18 in 71 last season for LHV.
Danick Martel (RW): 2 GP, 2 goals, 1 assist, 5 shots, 5 PIM
Undrafted Free Agent
He’s not slowing down yet, folks. Martel’s 7 goals are tied for the league-lead with Daniel Sprong. His 10 points overall are just 1 off the tops in the AHL. The kid is still young (22) and has a chance to make a name for himself.
Oskar Lindblom (LW): 2 GP, 1 assist, 4 shots
2014 5th Round Pick, 138th overall
Finally, that elusive first point of the season. It’s been a slow start to Lindblom’s first full season in North America.
Mikhail Vorobyov (C): 2 GP, 1 assist, 1 shot
2015 4th Round Pick, 104th overall
3 assists in 7 games for Vorobyov. This isn’t too bad considering he is getting 4C duties with teammates like Tyrell Goulbourne and Radel Fazleev.
Alex Lyon (G): 1 GP, 3 GA, 28 saves
Undrafted Free Agent
Only one game this weekend for Lyon who gave way to backup Dustin Tokarski in net on Friday. In his action on Saturday, Lyon held strong, though did give up a late 3rd period goal in the game. In 6 starts he has a 4-1 record, .916 SV% and 2.61 GAA.
Notable Canadian junior performers this week:
Connor Bunnaman (C/LW), Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
2016 4th Round Pick, 109th overall
After going nuts last weekend (6 points in 3 games), the Bun-man went back into hibernation and sits at 8 points (5 G, 3 A) in 11 games.
Anthony Salinitri (C), Sarnia Sting (OHL)
2016 6th Round Pick, 172nd overall
- 10/19 – no shots, 3 for 8 FOW
- 10/20 – 1 assist, 1 shot, 5 for 13 FOW
- 10/21 – 1 shot, 4 PIM, 4 for 6 FOW/
Sarnia scored 20 goals in 3 games this weekend and somehow Salinitri was only part of one of them. Call it a fluke for the 4th year junior player. He has 14 points (4 G, 10 A) in 13 games.
Morgan Frost (C), Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
2017 1st Round Pick, 27th overall
- 10/18 – 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 shots, 7 for 19 FOW
- 10/20 – 2 assists, 2 shots, 2 PIM, 7 for 16 FOW
- 10/22 – 4 shots, 11 for 22 FOW/
No videos of his goal (that I’m aware of), but it did give him 4 on the season to go along with his 10 assists.
Isaac Ratcliffe (LW), Guelph Storm (OHL)
2017 2nd Round Pick, 35th overall
Shots, shots, shots! No this isn’t the start to an LMFAO song, Ratcliffe has thrown 52 shots on goal this season. His double-shot of goals on Saturday gave him 4 goals to go with his 3 assists on the season.
Maksim Sushko (RW), Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
2017 4th Round Pick, 107th overall
One of the brightest spots of the early season in the Flyers’ pipeline, Sushko is putting on quite the display. He has 12 points (8 G, 4 A) in 9 games and has even missed some time due to injury. Here’s his goal from Sunday. Sushko has helped push Owen Sound to 6-3-1 and just 1 point behind division-leading Kitchener.
Matthew Strome (LW), Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
2017 4th Round Pick, 106th overall
Matthew Strome picks up his 4th goal of the season on this nice give and go.
Carsen Twarynski (LW), Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
2016 3rd Round Pick, 82nd overall
- 10/17 – 7 shots, 1 for 2 FOW
- 10/20 – 3 shots, 2 PIM, 1 for 1 FOW
- 10/21 – 3 goals, 3 shots, 0 for 1 FOW/
Hat Trick for Twarynski! Here is the goal that earned the honors. Twarynski has surprised me with his point production so far this year. He is up to 11 points (6 G, 5 A) in 9 games. He had 43 in 64 last season.
Pascal Laberge (C), Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)
2016 2nd Round Pick, 36th overall
- 10/19 – 1 assist, 2 shots, 8 for 13 FOW
- 10/20 – 1 assist, 3 shots, 4 for 8 FOW
- 10/22 – 1 shot, 4 for 9 FOW/
Laberge has had points in 7 of his 10 games this season to give him 10 total (4 G, 6 A). This is a big season for him as he answers questions about his effectiveness after his disappointing and injury-filled 2016-17 season.
German Rubtsov (C), Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
2016 1st Round Pick, 22nd overall
- 10/18 – 1 assist, 2 shots, 4 for 8 FOW
- 10/20 – 1 assist, 1 shot, 1 for 1 FOW
- 10/21 – 1 goal, 4 shots, 0 for 2 FOW/
First goal of the season for Rubtsov on an absolute snipe, so that is fun and good. The Russian import has 9 points in 8 games.
CHL Notes: Carter Hart (G) and fans received the news that he has been diagnosed with mono. The Everett Silvertips (WHL) will be without the top goalie prospect for the foreseeable future.
Notable European performers this week
Linus Högberg (D), Växjö Lakers HC (SHL)
2016 5th Round Pick, 139th overall
4th pairing minutes on Saturday was the only action Högberg was able to get last week. However, Högberg was named to Team Sweden (U20) for the 4 Nations Tournament next month.
David Bernhardt (D), Djurgårdens IF (SHL)
2016 7th Round Pick, 199th overall
Still no points for Bernhardt through 10 games.
David Kaše (C/W), Mora IK (SHL)
2015 5th Round Pick, 128th overall
3rd goal of the season for Kaše! He has 7 points in 11 games in his first season in the SHL.
Olle Lycksell (RW/C), Linköping HC J20 (SuperElit)
2017 6th Round Pick, 168th overall
Lycksell is cruising through the J20, racking up 12 points (5 G, 7 A) in 14 games.
Felix Sandström (G), Brynäs IF (SHL)
2015 3rd Round Pick, 70th overall
Sandström’s first legitimately awful start from beginning to end. The 20 year old still sports 7 wins, a .910 SV% and 2.71 GAA.
Ivan Fedotov (G), Toros Neftekamsk (VHL)
2015 7th Round Pick, 188th overall
The box score wasn’t posted for Sunday’s game just yet, but Fedotov had a much better week than his start to the season has been thus far. He still has an ugly .894 SV% in 10 games.
Kirill Ustimenko (G), MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL)
2017 3rd Round Pick, 80th overall
- 10/18 – 2 GA
- 10/19 – DNP
- 10/22 – 3 GA, 28 saves/
I apologize in advance because full reports and breakdowns on Ustimenko’s games this week were a bit confusing. However, EliteProspects.com has the young goalie at .921 SV% in 15 MHL games this season.
Notable NCAA and USHL performers this week:
Wade Allison (RW), Western Michigan University
2016 2nd Round Pick, 52nd overall
More points for Wade as his two assists this weekend gave him 7 on the year. His 9 points for WMU is 2nd best on his team.
Tanner Laczynski (RW/C), Ohio State University
2016 6th Round Pick, 169th overall
After going pointless in his first 4 games, the 4-assist weekend was just what Laczynski needed.
Cooper Marody (C), University of Michigan
2015 6th Round Pick, 158th overall
U of M was back in action with last weekend off. Marody was held pointless this go-around and sits at just 1 assist in 4 games.
Brendan Warren (LW), University of Michigan
2015 3rd Round Pick, 81st overall
Warren fared a little better than Marody, getting his first goal/point of the NCAA season.
David Drake (D), University of Connecticut
2013 7th Round Pick, 192nd overall
Drake is pointless in 6 games this season. Ho-hum.
Wyatt Kalynuk (D), University of Wisconsin
2017 7th Round Pick, 196th overall
The freshman collects his first point of his college hockey career.
Terrance Amorosa (D), Clarkson University
2013 5th Round Pick, 132nd overall
Make that 7 points (2 G, 5 A) in 6 games for the Clarkson senior. There are only 3 defensemen in all of the NCAA with more points than Amorosa.
Noah Cates (LW), Omaha Lancers (USHL)
2017 5th Round Pick, 137th overall
A quiet weekend for the 18 year old. Cates still sits at 2 points (1 G, 1 A) in 7 games.
Matej Tomek (G), Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
2015 3rd Round Pick, 90th overall
- 10/20 – 1 GA, 20 saves
- 10/21 – DNP/
Albeit it’s just two games, Tomek does have a .933 SV%. With games like these, hopefully the Slovakian is paving his way to not only more starts, but a home for next season.
