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| Taylor Leier hasn't played since the AHL All-Star Challenge at the beginning of the month. The organization has been very quiet in regards to his status moving forward. Photo: Nina Weiss/Highland Park Hockey. |
Editor's Note: I'll have full coverage of tonight's Phantoms game against the St. John's IceCaps, live from the PPL Center! The puck drops at 7:05p.m. ET, but make sure you're following along on Twitter -> @TonyAndrock and Facebook (be sure to like the Facebook page!) for all the latest updates and information.
Stay tuned here online after the game for a recap of the action. Don't forget to subscribe to Highland Park Hockey's YouTube channel for post-game interviews with AHL hockey players.
ALLENTOWN - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (31-13-2) continued their dominance of the North Division with Wednesday night's 5-0 win over the Binghamton Senators, and look to improve upon their 14-1-1 record against Eastern Conference teams outside of the Atlantic Division when they host the St. John's IceCaps (22-20-6) in a pair of games this weekend.
The Phantoms and IceCaps have yet to square off this season, but St. John's has found some success against the AHL's top team up the road in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins - shutting out the Penguins 4-0 Wednesday night. The IceCaps also won their other meeting in Wilkes-Barre 5-2 the previous weekend.
Needless to say, the Phantoms will be in for a tough two-game set this weekend against a St. John's team that is in the thick of the North Division's playoff race. With leading scorer Jordan Weal now called up to Philadelphia and Taylor Leier missing his 4th straight game due to an undisclosed injury, Lehigh Valley will need others to step up and fill in offensively.
After the jump, a full preview of everything you need to know in advance of tonight's game.
For the entire month of February, 50% of my donations will be donated to the Building Hope For Kids Project.
After the jump, a full preview of everything you need to know in advance of tonight's game.
For the entire month of February, 50% of my donations will be donated to the Building Hope For Kids Project.
By The Numbers
LV: 46 games played, 31-13-2-0 = 64 points
2nd Place Atlantic Division
Streak: 1-0-0-0
Last Ten Games: 7-3-0-0
LV: 46 games played, 31-13-2-0 = 64 points
2nd Place Atlantic Division
Streak: 1-0-0-0
Last Ten Games: 7-3-0-0
STJ: 48 games played, 22-20-5-1 = 50 points
3rd Place North Division
Streak: 1-0-0-0
Last Ten Games: 3-6-1-0
3rd Place North Division
Streak: 1-0-0-0
Last Ten Games: 3-6-1-0
Special Teams
Power Play
LV - 52-for-223: 23.3% = 5th in AHL
STJ - 36-for-186:19.4% = 9th in AHL
Penalty Kill
LV - 146-for-177: 82.1% = 12th in AHL
STJ - 156-for-201: 77.6% = 28th in AHL
LV - 146-for-177: 82.1% = 12th in AHL
STJ - 156-for-201: 77.6% = 28th in AHL
Leading Scorers
LV: T.J. Brennan (46GP, 13G-25A), Chris Conner (46GP, 13G-23A), Greg Carey (46GP, 22G-12A) and Andy Miele (35GP, 5G-27A)
STJ: Chris Terry (30GP, 15G-24A), Charles Hudon (28GP, 10G-12A), Nikita Scherbak (39GP, 10G-12A) and Daniel Audette (48GP, 7G-12A)
Starting Goaltenders
STJ: Charlie Lindgren (31GP, 16-12-3, 2.70 GAA, .913 SV%, 2 SO)
Season Series
Tonight marks the first meeting between the Phantoms and IceCaps this season. The two teams will play again tomorrow night before the Phantoms make a trip to Newfoundland, Canada in late March for a pair of back-to-back games to close out the four-game season series.
Saturday, February 11th: St. John's at Lehigh Valley - 7:05 p.m. ET
Tuesday, March 21st: Lehigh Valley at St. John's - 6:00 p.m. ET
Wednesday, March 22nd: Lehigh Valley at St. John's - 6:00 p.m. ET
Mark Zengerle - Scott Laughton - Colin McDonald
Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Roster Notes
Anthony Stolarz is expected to get the start in net tonight against St. John's. Alex Lyon, coming off a 27-save shutout Wednesday night against Binghamton, will likely get the nod tomorrow night in the rematch.
Jordan Weal was called up to Philadelphia this afternoon, getting his chance in the NHL again. The million dollar question might get answered here soon.
In a corresponding move, the Phantoms called up forward Chris McCarthy from their ECHL affiliate in Reading. The Collegeville, Pa. native was leading the Royals in scoring at the time of his recall, tallying 19 goals and 27 assists in 43 ECHL games this season.
Taylor Leier will more than likely not play this weekend, missing what will be his fourth and fifth straight game with an undisclosed injury he apparently re-aggravated before last Friday's game in Albany.
Boyd Gordon, who left in the 1st period of Wednesday's win against Binghamton after a sliding BSens' forward crunched into his legs in the corner boards, is not expected to have sustained a serious injury but will likely sit out tonight's game with that lower body ailment.
Colin McDonald, who missed Wednesday's game after taking a hit in the 1st period of last Saturday's 7-1 loss in Wilkes-Barre, is expected to return to the Phantoms' lineup this weekend and should slot back in tonight.
Jordan Weal was called up to Philadelphia this afternoon, getting his chance in the NHL again. The million dollar question might get answered here soon.
In a corresponding move, the Phantoms called up forward Chris McCarthy from their ECHL affiliate in Reading. The Collegeville, Pa. native was leading the Royals in scoring at the time of his recall, tallying 19 goals and 27 assists in 43 ECHL games this season.
Taylor Leier will more than likely not play this weekend, missing what will be his fourth and fifth straight game with an undisclosed injury he apparently re-aggravated before last Friday's game in Albany.
Boyd Gordon, who left in the 1st period of Wednesday's win against Binghamton after a sliding BSens' forward crunched into his legs in the corner boards, is not expected to have sustained a serious injury but will likely sit out tonight's game with that lower body ailment.
Colin McDonald, who missed Wednesday's game after taking a hit in the 1st period of last Saturday's 7-1 loss in Wilkes-Barre, is expected to return to the Phantoms' lineup this weekend and should slot back in tonight.
Expected Scratches: Taylor Leier (undisclosed injury), Boyd Gordon (lower body) and Reece Willcox (healthy)
Lines:
Mark Zengerle - Scott Laughton - Colin McDonald
Danick Martel - Corban Knight - Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Greg Carey - Andy Miele - Chris Conner
Cole Bardreau - Radel Fazleev - Chris McCarthy
Greg Carey - Andy Miele - Chris Conner
Cole Bardreau - Radel Fazleev - Chris McCarthy
T.J. Brennan - Robert Hagg
Will O'Neill - Mark Alt
Sam Morin - Travis Sanheim
Anthony Stolarz - Alex Lyon
Recent Transactions
2/10: ADD - F Chris McCarthy recalled from loan to Reading (ECHL)
2/10: DEL - F Jordan Weal recalled from loan by Philadelphia (NHL)
2/2: DEL - F Kevin Sundher released from his standard player contract (SPC)
Recent Transactions
2/10: ADD - F Chris McCarthy recalled from loan to Reading (ECHL)
2/10: DEL - F Jordan Weal recalled from loan by Philadelphia (NHL)
2/2: DEL - F Kevin Sundher released from his standard player contract (SPC)
1/24: DEL - G Mark Dekanich returned on loan to Reading (ECHL)
1/21: ADD - G Mark Dekanich recalled from loan to Reading (ECHL)
1/21: ADD - D Reece Willcox reassigned by Philadelphia (NHL) from Reading (ECHL)
1/21: ADD - F Radel Fazleev reassigned by Philadelphia (NHL) from Reading (ECHL)
For the entire month of February, 50% of my donations will be donated to the Building Hope For Kids Project.
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