Déjà vu.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2-0-0) swept the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the First Round of the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs. Tonight, they’ll begin their pursuit to advance past the AHL Division Semifinals against the Hershey Bears (0-0-0).
Parker Gahagen (2-0-0; 2.02GAA, 93.7%SV) remained hot in the AHL First Round. Jett Luchanko (4P; 4A, +3) is off to a fast start among all forwards competing in the postseason. Helge Grans (2P; 1G, 1A, -1) was the PSECU Player of the Week after scoring the game-winner to sweep the Penguins. The added reinforcements for the postseason meshed well with the current roster dynamic.
Last postseason, the Bears eliminated the Phantoms. Hershey decisively took the series, 3-1. Lehigh Valley couldn’t steal a victory at the Giant Center in 2024.
OddsChecker cites the Bears (-135) as favorites. After all, they are the top seed in the AHL Atlantic Division. The Phantoms are the outlaws. They’re a fifth seed, disrupting the top four by sweeping Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. However, in 2024-2025, Lehigh Valley is 5-3-1 against Hershey.
When: 4/30/2025; 7:00pm/ET
Where: The Giant Center; Hershey, PA
Broadcast Info: FloHockey; Phantoms365 App
Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Why didn’t Gahagen earn a recall with the Philadelphia Flyers? Aleksei Kolosov struggled in the AHL. Gahagen was the only goaltender on the Phantoms to post above 90%SV on the season, starting the second-most games. Cal Petersen occupied the crease most often in the regular season but took a backseat in the postseason.
Gahagen is a gamer, and it’s becoming more apparent as he rather silently makes his case as the best goaltender in Lehigh Valley.
Anthony Richard (3P; 2G, 1A, +3) is a part of the familiar lineup dynamic now meshing well with the reinforcements arriving for the Phantoms’ postseason push. He and Luchanko combined on the assists that led to Grans’ game-winner. Both forwards competed in stints with the Flyers during the regular season, and in the Calder Cup Playoffs, they’re expected weapons for Lehigh Valley.
Luchanko gets a lot of attention. He’ll maintain attention during the Calder Cup Playoffs and into the 2025 Rookie and Development Camps at the Flyers Training Center.
Louie Belpedio (+4) maintained a clean performance in the First Round. The alternate captain was not in the starting lineup of a series-clinching Game 2 versus the Penguins. However, he finished with a +3 rating. It takes a sufficient crew on defense, and Belpedio keeps his end of the deal.
Projected Lineup: Lehigh Valley Phantoms
#15 Olle Lycksell – #56 Jacob Gaucher – #74 Zayde Wisdom
#29 Nikita Grebenkin – #18 Rodrigo Ābols – #21 Alex Bump
#17 Garrett Wilson – #77 Jett Luchanko – #90 Anthony Richard
#43 Oscar Eklind – #22 Rhett Gardner – #54 Givani Smith
#19 Hunter McDonald – #7 Louie Belpedio
#6 Emil Andrae – #5 Ethan Samson
#37 Adam Ginning – #3 Helge Grans
#31 Parker Gahagen
(#40 Cal Petersen)
Projected Lineup: Hershey Bears
#26 Ludwig Persson – #39 Luke Philp – #18 Pierrick Dubé
#10 Ivan Miroshnichenko – #38 Henrik Rybinski – #44 Bogdan Trineyev
#20 Brennan Saulnier – #65 Garrett Roe – #21 Terik Parascak
#37 Dalton Smith – #43 Grant Cruikshank – #45 Matt Strome
#2 Jake Massie – #13 Ryan Chesley
#48 David Gucciardi – #77 Brad Hunt
#34 Leon Muggli – #47 Jon McDonald
#30 Hunter Shepard
(#35 Mitch Gibson)
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