AHL Weekly News, Laval Rocket, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, American Hockey League, hockey, prospects, AHL, NHL, Rocket Sports Media
ROCKET SPORTS MEDIA — Welcome to our new column here at the AHL Report: AHL Weekly! Published every Tuesday, this post will bring you the latest American Hockey League (AHL) news from around North America.
We’ll feature the AHL’s Player(s) of the Week/Month, interesting news items, plus league standings, suspensions, and leaders.
For our faithful Laval Rocket and Lehigh Valley Phantoms readers, we’ll highlight the latest news and updates of the week for those two teams as well, including links to our Rocket Sports Media team’s comprehensive game recaps.
Player of the Week
Lukas Reichel, a Rockford IceHogs forward, was named AHL Player of the Week. In two games last week, Reichel tallied three goals and three assists for a total of six points.
On January 7, Reichel recorded two goals and two assists in an 8-0 win over Chicago, ending the Wolves’ 12-game winning streak. The following day, he registered another goal and an assist, helping the IceHogs down the Milwaukee Admirals 6-2.
The 19-year-old has 11 goals and nine assists in 20 games this season, leading his team in both goals and points while boasting a point-per-game average.
Players of the Month
Josh Leivo was named the AHL Player of the Month for December 2021. The Chicago Wolves forward tallied four goals and 10 assists for a total of 14 points in six games played that month.
This season, Leivo has a total of six goals, 13 assists for 19 points, but recorded a large portion of those points last month.
Charlotte Checkers forward Cole Schwindt was named AHL Rookie of the Month. In eight games played in December, he tallied two goals and eight assists, bringing his season total to nine goals and 10 assists.
On top of having an impressive month in the AHL, the 20-year-old also made his NHL debut on December 16 with the Florida Panthers.
Dustin Wolf was named AHL Goaltender of the Month. The Stockton Heat goalie had a perfect record of 7-0-0 in December.
Wolf allowed just 10 goals on 204 shots during that time, recording a 1.40 goals-against average and a .951 save percentage. He also enjoyed his first experience in the NHL on December 30, when he dressed as the backup for the Calgary Flames.
Overall this season Wolf boasts a solid 16-1-2 record, with a 1.92 GAA, and a 0.936 SV%.
Noteworthy News
Postponements Continue
Games continue to be postponed as more teams have to deal with COVID-19 outbreaks and protocols.
This has led to a league announcement of a six-day extension of the 2021-22 AHL schedule, meaning the regular season will now end on April 30. The 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs are expected to be completed before June 30.
Here’s a list of the postponements this past week:
January 5:
- Laval Rocket (COVID-19 protocols) vs. Springfield Thunderbirds
- San Diego Gulls (COVID-19 protocols) vs. Henderson Silver Knights
January 7:
- Laval Rocket (COVID-19 protocols) vs. Toronto Marlies
- Lehigh Valley Phantoms (COVID-19 protocols) vs. Providence Bruins
January 8:
- Laval Rocket (COVID-19 protocols) vs. Toronto Marlies
January 9:
- Lehigh Valley Phantoms (COVID-19 protocols) vs. Providence Bruins
January 10:
- Bakersfield Condors vs. Abbotsford Canucks (COVID-19 protocols)
Syracuse Signs Labrie
The Syracuse Crunch signed P.C. Labrie to a two-year AHL contract last week. He has already skated in two games, scoring one goal.
The 35-year-old forward played 21 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack this season, where he recorded two goals and six assists.
Labrie is no stranger to the AHL, skating in over 650 games while scoring 92 goals and 115 assists (207 points).
The 14-year pro isn’t a complete stranger to Syracuse, either, having played 77 games there over the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.
Laval Rocket Update
The Laval Rocket had to shut down completely due to many players entering COVID-19 protocols. Their next game is scheduled for January 12 against Syracuse.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Update
January 5: LHV (3) @ HER (4)
After scoring three unanswered goals to tie the game, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms fell short in overtime against the Hershey Bears.
However, they extended their point streak to eight, tying for the longest point streak in Lehigh Valley history, previously achieved twice, in 2018 and 2016.
The last time the Phantoms lost a game in regulation was on December 3 against the Charlotte Checkers.
The games scheduled for January 7 and 9 against the Providence Bruins were postponed due to COVID-19 protocols affecting the Phantoms. The make-up dates are April 11 and 19.
League Standings
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
League Leaders
Skaters
Goaltenders
League Suspensions
No suspensions were announced over the past week.
For all the latest news, updates, analysis, and information on hockey prospects, be sure to bookmark AHLReport.com and follow @TheAHLReport on Twitter and Facebook. We invite you to leave a comment below!
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By Maria Bouabdo, Staff Writer
The AHL Report
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