Game 45 Preview: W-B/Scranton at Lehigh Valley

Maxim Lamarche battles to clear out Ty Loney in front of Jason LaBarbera in December 16th's game against the Penguins. Photo: Nina Weiss/The Home News

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms look to extend their season-high three-game win streak to four games tonight when they host rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the PPL Center at 7:05 p.m. ET in the beginning of a home and home series before the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic.

Tonight marks the seventh meeting between the two teams. The Penguins have won four of the six previous meetings and have won five straight over Lehigh Valley at the PPL Center dating back to last season. The last meeting between these two teams back on January 8th was more than interesting, as the teams combined for seven first period goals in a span of 11 minutes and 44 seconds before playing a scoreless final 44:06 in route to a 4-3 Penguins win.

I'll have full coverage of both Phantoms-Penguins games starting tonight in Allentown. For all the latest in-game updates and information, make sure you're following me on Twitter both at @TonyAndrock for Phantoms news/notes and @H_P_Hockey for Penguins news/notes. I'll have a recap of the action here online shortly following the game complete with reaction from the players and head coach Scott Gordon.

Some great follows for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins coverage are their two daily beat reporters Tom Venesky (@TLTomVenesky) and Seth Lasko (@CVSethLasko). Two of the best in the business.

News, notes, stats, numbers and a whole bunch more after the jump.

By The Numbers

LV: 20-21-2-1, 43 points - 7th Atlantic Division
Last 10 Games: 4-5-1-0
Streak: 3-0-0

WBS: 29-12-0-1, 59 points - 1st Atlantic Division
Last 10 Games: 6-4-0-0
Streak: Losses in four of last five games

Special Teams

Power Play

LV: 16.1% - 18th in AHL
WBS: 20.0% - 6th in AHL

Penalty Kill

LV: 83.5% - 15th in AHL
WBS: 86.5% - 3rd in AHL

Leading Scorers (Active)

LV: Nick Cousins (36GP, 12G-24A), Andrew MacDonald (37GP, 5G-21A), Taylor Leier (39GP, 11G-14A), Chris Conner (27GP, 8G-16A)

WBS: Scott Wilson (32GP, 20G-14A), Conor Sheary (28GP, 7G-26A), Dominik Simon (42GP, 12G-11A)

Expected Starting Goaltenders

LV: Anthony Stolarz (14-10-3, 2.43 GAA, .916 SV%, 0 SO)
WBS: Tristan Jarry (11-1-0, 1.63 GAA, .941 SV%, 3 SO)

Season Series

This is the seventh of 12 scheduled meetings between Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season. The Penguins own the season series with a 4-2-0-0 record against the Phantoms entering tonight's game.

Head to Head Scoring Leaders

LV: Nick Cousins (5GP, 1G-4A), Mark Alt (6GP, 1G-2A), Andrew MacDonald (3GP, 1G-2A), Taylor Leier (6GP, 2G-0A)

WBS: Dominik Simon (6GP, 2G-4A), Scott Wilson (5GP, 3G-2A), Tom Kostopoulos(6GP, 2G-3A), Conor Sheary (4GP, 1G-4A)

Goalies Head to Head Stats

LV: Jason LaBarbera (4GP, 1-2-0, 2.44 GAA, .913 SV%, 1 SO)
       Anthony Stolarz (3GP, 1-2-0, 3.99 GAA, .866 SV%, 0 SO)

WBS: Tristan Jarry (1GP, 1-0-0, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 SV%, 1 SO)
           Brian Foster (1GP, 0-1-0, 3.09 GAA, .842 SV% 0 SO)

Season Series Schedule

Sat. 10/17, Lehigh Valley - 4 at W-B/Scranton - 6
Fri. 12/4, Lehigh Valley - 3 at W-B/Scranton - 1
Fri. 12/11, W-B/Scranton - 4 at Lehigh Valley - 0
Wed. 12/16, W-B/Scranton - 3 at Lehigh Valley - 0
Sun. 12/27, Lehigh Valley - 3 at W-B/Scranton - 0
Fri. 1/8, W-B/Scranton - 4 at Lehigh Valley - 3
Fri. 1/29, W-B/Scranton at Lehigh Valley - 7:05 p.m. ET
Sat. 1/30, Lehigh Valley at W-B/Scranton - 7:05 p.m. ET
Fri. 3/4, W-B/Scranton at Lehigh Valley - 7:05 p.m. ET
Wed. 3/9, Lehigh Valley at W-B/Scranton - 7:05 p.m. ET
Fri. 4/8, Lehigh Valley at W-B/Scranton - 7:05 p.m. ET
Fri. 4/15. W-B/Scranton at Lehigh Valley - 7:05 p.m. ET

Lehigh Valley Phantoms

Roster Notes

Jason LaBarbera is back after he was called up to Philadelphia to back up Michal Neuvirth against the Washington Capitals Wednesday night.

Tim Brent is going to be out long term after having surgery today to repair his injured hand. The Home News first reported the unfortunate news Wednesday morning.

Aaron Palushaj didn't play Wednesday for Lehigh Valley, likely recovering from a slew foot hit from Liam O'Brien in the third period of Monday's game in Hershey. He was a full participant in Phantoms' practice Thursday and should be back in the lineup tonight.

Andrew MacDonald was back in the Phantoms lineup Wednesday after sitting out Monday's game in Hershey due to an on-going injury he's been dealing with according to head coach Scott Gordon. If MacDonald is healthy, he's going to play and log big minutes.

Pavel Padakin is back with Lehigh Valley after a 17-game stint in the ECHL with Reading. I caught up with Padakin and head coach Scott Gordon, who said he was pleased with Padakin's play Wednesday night against Binghamton.

Phantoms Injured List: Kevin Sundher (lower body), Michael Parks (upper body), Petr Straka (lower body), Tim Brent (hand/wrist surgery), Jay Rosehill (undisclosed) and Logan Pyett (out indefinitely)

Lines from Wednesday's Game:

Taylor Leier - Nick Cousins - Chris Conner
Danick Martel - Cole Bardreau - Colin McDonald (C)
Tyrell Goulbourne - Philip DeSimone - Pavel Padakin
Kevin Goumas - Joe Rehkamp

Andrew MacDonald (A) - Robert Hagg
Sam Morin - Mark Alt
Davis Drewiske (A) - Maxim Lamarche
Adam Comrie

Anthony Stolarz - Martin Ouelette

Recent Transactions

1/28: G Jason LaBarbera returned on loan from Philadelphia (NHL)
1/28: G Martin Ouellette loaned to Reading (ECHL)
1/27: RW Pavel Padakin recalled from loan to Reading (ECHL)
1/22: C Phil DeSimone signed to standard player contract (SPC)
1/21: D Adam Comrie recalled from loan to Reading (ECHL)
1/21: D Matt Lashoff released from PTO
1/21: C Sam Gagner recalled from loan by Philadelphia (NHL)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Roster Notes

The Penguins' All-Star representatives are dropping like flies as the league has already replaced Derrick Pouliot (in the NHL with Pittsburgh) and Matt Murray (minor injury).

Now, Dominik Simon is questionable after taking a heavy slash in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to Hartford.

Tyler Biggs and Barry Goers have been injured most of the season for the Penguins and will be out of action tonight against Lehigh Valley.

With the Pittsburgh Penguins on break for the NHL All-Star festivities, they returned forwards Conor Sheary and Scott Wilson to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

As of this afternoon, those were the only reinforcements from the NHL as Bryan Rust, Tom Kuhnhackl, Kevin Porter and Derrick Pouliot all remain in the NHL.

Penguins Injured List: Matt Murray, Tyler Biggs, Barry Goers and Dominik Simon

Lines from Wednesday's Game:

Josh Archibald - Kael Mouillierat - Dominik Simon

Sahir Gill - Carter Rowney - Jean-Sebastien Dea

Dominik Uher - Oskar Sundqvist - Tom Kostopoulos

Tom Sestito - Matia Marcantuoni - John McCarron

Reid McNeill - Steve Oleksy

Will O'Neill - Clark Seymour

Tim Erixon - Niclas Andersen

Matt Murray - Tristan Jarry
Recent Transactions

1/29: D Harrison Ruopp reassigned to Wheeling (ECHL)
1/27: LW Conor Sheary reassigned to W-B/Scranton (AHL)
1/27: LW Scott Wilson reassigned to W-B/Scranton (AHL)
1/27: RW John McCarron recalled on loan from Wheeling (ECHL)
1/21: G Brian Foster recalled on loan from Wheeling (ECHL)