Lehigh Valley Phantoms News & Notes Ahead of Cleveland Series

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are preparing for their first road trip of the season. It’s a back-to-back against the Cleveland Monsters. Their practice on Wednesday was reflective in their preparation for a weekend that would need the stamina to compete. 

The Phantoms had a back-to-back the past weekend, where in the second game, they looked gassed. It’s why the practice was intense but too much to the point where they were out of energy by the time it was over. With the series around the corner, there are some things that stand out about the Philadelphia Flyers affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). 

Emil Andrea’s Return to Phantoms 

Cam York is back in the lineup and ready for a top-four role on the defense. It’s why the Flyers sent Emil Andrea down to the AHL despite a promising showing in the Oct. 13 win over the Florida Panthers. 

Some fans understandably are disappointed in the move. They were hoping Andrea would be on the NHL roster for good. This move makes a lot of sense with two things in mind. Adam Ginning has stepped up in a second-pair role, plus Andrea needs the ice time, and he’ll get it with the Phantoms. He’ll anchor the top pair and help out the team in all three zones, which, by default, will help the forward prospects. 

It’s also most likely a temporary thing. The Flyers are high on Andrea and ideally want him in the NHL. They’ll have him play this weekend, and then, they can bring him back. In this game, injuries are inevitable, and they’ll need Andrea in the future. He’ll prove capable of filling in. 

Phantoms Searching For Finishers

The Phantoms had a lopsided 4-1 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The offense was hapless, and it particularly struggled in the dirty areas. Head coach John Snowden talked about the urge to get rebounds and how they failed to do so. They’ll need that finishing presence in their forward unit.

Devin Kaplan, who scored twice in the 5-2 win over the Bellville Senators can be that. He’s not a forward that has highlight plays in him but he’s a bigger skater who can get to the dirty areas. He admired Chris Kreider growing up, and while he can’t see himself playing that style, it’s one the Phantoms can use. 

The Phantoms have a lot of talent on the wing. Along with Kaplan, there’s Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and Samu Tuomaala. The problem is that they are all shooters who don’t skate to the dirty areas. The Phantoms need one to do so to open up the offense and net a few goals. 

Which Phantoms Prospects Have A Big Weekend

This can be a big weekend for Barkey. The prospect came into his first season in the AHL with high hopes. At some points, it looked like he would make the NHL team on opening night. He’s in the AHL and off to a slow start. The playmaking winger only has one assist through two games. 

For Barkey, it’s about creating scoring chances but also playing well while taking the hits. It’s about “Continuing to get stronger and focus on things like body position so I can hold the puck a second longer and make a play has been a big focus of mine,” he stated after the Wednesday practice. If he plays above his weight, he’ll stand out this weekend. 

This is also a weekend for Alex Bump to go off. There was a time when Bump was seen as the winger with an inside track to the NHL. Instead, that spot was taken by Nikita Grebenkin, a power forward winger. The winger has a great shot, and a few goals can make a difference against the Monsters. 

The Tough Matchup Against Cleveland

The Monsters are 2-0 to start the season and have a great defense. In two games, they’ve allowed only two goals and are shutting teams down in the slot and dirty areas. They will give the Phantoms a rough weekend. 

It’s why this is a big series for the Phantoms, a team with high aspirations but glaring weaknesses. They can prove why they are a top team in the Atlantic Division with a roster filled with talent across the board.