Phantoms have a fantastic week
The Phantoms had a great week of games, picking up points in all three of their contests and making strides in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Lehigh Valley started their week at home on Wednesday night versus Binghamton. They only managed to set the AHL record for the fastest three goals scored by the same team within the first 36 seconds of the game, as they scored three goals within 21 seconds of each other.
After jumping out to an early lead, they never looked back as they went on to beat the Senators by a score of 5-3.
10 different Phantoms registered points in this game, including four multi-point nights for Andrew Gordon (one goal, two assists), Nick Cousins (two goals), Brandon Manning (two assists) and Robert Hagg (two assists).
Rob Zepp was stellar in this one as always, turning away 41 of the 44 shots he faced.
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The Phantoms continued their short two-game home stand on Friday night as they hosted the Hershey Bears. With Zepp being recalled by the Flyers just hours before game time, the Phantoms sent Anthony Stolarz to the blue paint in this one.
The Phantoms seemed to be extremely outplayed on Friday night as they were outshot 16 to 1 in the first period, and didn’t register their second shot until mid-way through the second period. By that point, the Bears had already matched the Phantoms game total of 18.
Fortunately for the Phantoms, great special teams play and great saves by Stolarz kept them in the game. With Kevin Goumas in the box for holding halfway through the second period, Brett Hextall sent Jason Akeson on a shorthanded breakaway, and he converted. This put the Phantoms on top and it would be all that they needed as they shutout the Bears 2-0 on another goal by Akeson, this time into an empty net.
Stolarz starred in this one as he stopped all 32 shots he faced in the shutout.
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The Phantoms hit the road for one last game on Saturday night in Hartford before their holiday break.
In an evenly matched game that saw 52 shots split evenly between both teams, Stolarz once again kept his team in it and earned them a point in the process.
A late first period goal by Zack Stortini from Cousins and Taylor Leier would be all that the Phantoms scored in this one.
The Hartford Wolf Pack evened the game up halfway through the second period, but that would be all for regulation time. With just over two minutes remaining in the extra session, ex-NHLer Ryan Malone scored the game winner, earning him first star honors for the evening.
Morin, Hagg, Lindblom will play at World Junior Championship
Flyers prospects Samuel Morin, Oskar Lindblom and Robert Hagg will be representing their countries in this years IIHF World Junior Championship.
Morin, the 6’7 Canadian, was the 11th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. He has impressed many early on in his career at age 19, he even nearly earned a spot on the NHL roster this season. After suffering a gruesome jaw injury earlier this season, Morin has returned to the lineup to play for his junior team in Rimouski, scoring two goals and adding seven assists for nine points in 12 games.
Morin will be paired with a shorter defenseman on Team Canada, which could look familiar to some Flyers fans as he was paired with 5’11 Shayne Gostisbehere earlier this preseason.
This will be the third go-around for the 19-year-old Swede Robert Hagg who played for Team Sweden the last two years. Hagg scored one goal with a plus-minus of four in last years tournament for Team Sweden and has registered two goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 30 games for the Phantoms this season.
Hagg will be joined on Team Sweden by fellow Flyers prospect Oskar Lindblom. Lindblom is a left wing currently playing for Brynas in the SHL. He has put up four goals and five assists for nine points in 17 games this season.
