By the looks of it, history is on the way to repeat itself.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (1-0-0) routed the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (0-1-0) at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Despite an ugly second period, the Phantoms kept pacing the game at even strength. Parker Gahagen (1-0-0; 93.3%SV, 2GAA) saw the puck well throughout Game 1 of the First Round of the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs, outdueling Joel Blomqvist.
“We compete from start to finish. That’s a hard team [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins] to play; a lot of talent, well coached, a hell of a team to the end. They kept coming, and it’s never easy.” – Ian Laperrière; 4/23/2025
Securing the early series lead, 1-0, Lehigh Valley is poised to eliminate the Penguins at the PPL Center on Friday. If the Phantoms succeed, it’ll be back-to-back postseasons where they’ve swept Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the First Round of the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs.
First Period
Score: 1-0, Phantoms
Setting the tone with the forecheck allowed Lehigh Valley to begin with pace. Oskar Eklind, on his opening shift, followed through with a check on Nate Clurman.
Joona Koppanen served a minor penalty for holding the stick. Blomqvist turned away almost a handful of shots, including efforts from Louie Belpedio and Jacob Gaucher.
Olle Lycksell put the Phantoms ahead, 1-0, with 11:19 remaining in the first period. Emil Andrae put the puck back into the offensive zone, and Gaucher won the race to the puck. Gaucher circled behind Blomqvist and passed up to Andrae for a shot on goal. Blomqvist allowed a rebound, and Lycksell pounced on the opportunity.
Eklind couldn’t convert on a breakaway chance against Blomqvist a few minutes later, missing wide left. Lehigh Valley commanded the beat of the contest and started to dictate the physicality. Ethan Samson leveled Ville Koivunen, and when Tristan Broz tried to step up, Samson fed him the gloves, too. Samson and Broz both served for roughing, creating four-on-four hockey.
“It’s [the] playoffs. Like every team, they were physical, too. We were physical, too. During the year, I can live with guys not hitting, but in playoffs, it’s a different animal, different game. Guys showed up; everybody. I loved everybody tonight. So, now we need to do it again Friday. Again, that’s a hell of a team [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins] on that side. They were [on] top of a division all year for a reason.” – Ian Laperrière; 4/23/2025
Neither team mustered any offense with more space at four-on-four. Gahagen denied a wraparound attempt by Harrison Brunicke and the following rebound opportunity from Atley Calvert when the teams were back to five-on-five hockey.
Before the end of the period, Samson began to serve a minor penalty for roughing. The Penguins would finish the first and start the second period on the powerplay with 1:32 remaining on the roughing call.
Second Period
Score: 3-0, Phantoms
Gahagen turned away a shot from Broz to kill the remaining 1:32 of Samson’s penalty. The Phantoms went 4/4 (100%) on the penalty kill, stopping Wilkes-Barre/Scranton every step of the way when at a disadvantage. The Penguins had a five-on-three advantage for 2:00, followed by an immediate penalty on Jett Luchanko for interference. Essentially, Lehigh Valley went on the powerplay for four consecutive minutes. Gahagen stopped everything.
“You don’t want to see that against a team [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins] like that. Like I said, with their skills and everything, you get a full two-minutes; you really don’t want to see that. I felt the guys were committed to do what we’re supposed to do and Parks [Gahagen] came up with a couple huge saves. That’s what you need. Five-on-three against a team like that, you need your goalie to make saves.” – Ian Laperrière; 4/23/2025
Alex Bump extended the Phantoms’ lead, 2-0, with 11:35 remaining in the second period. Lehigh Valley hemmed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on the attack. Bump and Luchanko pushed the puck back into the offensive zone, where Luchanko showed his puck patience. He put on the brakes, made the brilliant feed to Bump in the slot, and Bump beat Blomqvist.
“They’re everything that they were advertised. They play a few games for us, like Bump and Luch [Luchanko]. They’re eye talent, and that’s one thing, but right now they’re showing me they’re eye compete, which is music to my ears.” – Ian Laperrière; 4/23/2025
Rodrigo Ābols added another insurance goal, 3-0, with 6:14 remaining in the second period. Nikita Grebenkin turned out to the right wing, centered the puck to Ābols in the slot, and Ābols followed up on his rebound, cleaning up the loose puck from Blomqvist. Calvert and Sebastian Aho were in front of the crease but couldn’t deny the rebound chance from Ābols.
Ābols scored what ended up being the game-winning goal in Game 1 of the First Round in the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs between the Phantoms and Penguins.
Third Period
Score: 5-2, Phantoms
Taylor Gauthier replaced Blomqvist in the third period. Blomqvist (0-1-0; 3GA, 88.4%SV).
Clurman served a minor penalty for high-sticking. Avery Hayes, 1:04 later, served a minor penalty for tripping. Lehigh Valley had an abbreviated five-on-three powerplay. The Phantoms didn’t convert with Clurman in the penalty box. Bump scored his second goal while Hayes served his penalty, 4-0, with 11:43 remaining in the third period.
Lehigh Valley finished 1/3 (33%) on the powerplay.
Anthony Richard added another, 5-0, with 10:10 remaining in the third period. Luchanko swept into the attacking zone after Filip Král flubbed the pass to transition on offense. Through the slot, Luchanko dotted Richard with a pass to score.
“I love everything about it. He [Luchanko] was under the puck, using his speed. You don’t go in the first round because you don’t have special skills. He does have that, but again, like I said, those young guys, what they showed me tonight, and it’s one game, it’s the character. Bump, the same way. Even Nikita [Grebenkin], same way. It’s great. It’s in the past. We got to move on.” – Ian Laperrière; 4/23/2025
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton did spoil the shutout bid for Gahagen. Hayes broke through onto the scoreboard, 5-1, with 4:52 remaining in the third period. Sam Poulin crossed the puck in the slot to set up a quick snapshot by Hayes past Gahagen. Before this shot from Hayes, Gahagen was 28/28 on the night.
Gabe Klassen added another, 5-2, with 1:09 remaining in the third period. The final two shots from the Penguins beat Gahagen, but the goaltender still dominated overall, standing tall on the road.
Up Next
Next, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in Game 2 of the First Round in the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs. The puck drops at the PPL Center on Friday at 7:05pm/ET.
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