LEHIGH VALLEY, PA – Fans got their very first glimpse Friday evening of the 2016-2017 Lehigh Valley Phantoms as the heart-pounding excitement of American Hockey League action returned to downtown Allentown.
Friday marked the start of the Phantoms 2016 preseason as they welcomed the Charlotte Checkers, the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, to PPL Center for the first time ever. And even though visiting Charlotte skated away with a 6-1 win, there was plenty of optimism gained by the Phantoms and the 5,542 raucous fans who were thrilled to see their team back in action. 
Lehigh Valley’s conversion Friday evening beautifully showcased exactly why there is such optimism heading into the 2016-17 regular season as it featured some of the team’s exciting new talent both in the form of proven offensive contributors as well as the organization’s up-and-coming stars.
Greg Carey, a free agent signing this summer who netted 26 goals with the Springfield Falcons a season ago, scored in his Phantoms debut while fellow free agent signee T.J. Brennan and budding prospect Travis Sanheim earned assists on the tally. The reigning Eddie Shore Award winner as the AHL’s top defenseman, Brennan paced all AHL blueliners with 25 goals and 68 points last season and displayed an abundance of offense creativity Friday evening. Meanwhile, the 17th overall selection in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Sanheim notched 15 goals and 68 points in just 52 games with the Calgary Hitmen (WHL) a season ago.
Carey, Brennan and Sanheim join the likes of fellow newcomers Andy Miele, Mark Zengerle and Will O’Neill who will be inserted into Lehigh Valley’s lineup this season to join prized returners like Chris Conner, Taylor Leier, Colin McDonald, Danick Martel, Samuel Morin and Anthony Stolarz.
It was Stolarz who earned the start between the pipes Friday evening and recorded 20 saves on 26 Checkers shots.
Mike Kirkpatrick (2 goals, assist), Brody Sutter (goal, 2 assists) and Jake Chelios (goal, assist) paced the offensive effort for visiting Charlotte who will be back at PPL Center on Saturday for a rematch with the Phantoms.
Charlotte opened the scoring just past the midway point of the first period when Kirkpatrick snapped in his first conversion of the night. Sutter grabbed the only assist on the even-strength strike netted 10:49 into the opening frame.
The Checkers doubled their advantage less than three minutes later when Andrew Poturalski cruised in down the wing before sending home his first goal of the preseason. Valentin Zykov and Dennis Robertson assisted on the five-on-five tally scored 13:32 into the first period of play.
The Phantoms, however, sliced Charlotte’s lead in half early in the second period when, while on the power play, Sanheim slashed down the right wing before feeding a centering pass to Carey at the top of the goal crease who made no mistake in tapping in his first goal of the preseason. T.J. Brennan collected the secondary assist on the man-advantage marker netted just 18 seconds into the middle stanza.
The Checkers re-established their two-goal advantage less than six minutes later though when Kirkpatrick sailed in down the right wing before driving in his second goal of the evening. Brendan Woods garnered the only assist on the five-on-five tally scored 6:14 into the middle period.
Charlotte then flexed its offensive muscles with a three-goal barrage in a span of less than four minutes. First, the Checkers countered with a power play goal of their own when Matt Tennyson blasted home his first goal of the preseason. Kirkpatrick and Sutter assisted on the man-advantage marker tallied 13:47 into the second frame.
Then, Sutter landed his first conversion of the preseason with a five-on-five marker notched 15:42 into the middle stanza with an assist from Chelios. Finally, Chelios capped the offensive outburst when he launched a slap shot from the point that found daylight past Stolarz. Clark Bishop and Brant Harris assisted on the even-strength strike notched 17:19 into the period.
Charlotte’s Alex Nedeljkovic earned the win in goal after 28 saves on 29 Lehigh Valley shots,
Game report courtesy of Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
Friday, October 7, 2016, The Lehigh Valley Phantoms played its first pre-season game against the Charlotte Checkers. The score was 6 to 1 in favor of the Checkers.
You must be logged in to post a comment.