The Lehigh Valley Phantoms started a pivotal three-in-three with a 5-3 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Phantoms needed the win and were outplayed from the opening puck drop against a team that was chasing them in the Atlantic Division. 

This team looks like a mess right now with no answers. It’s a shock considering where the Phantoms were at the start of the season and the expectations starting in the offseason. With a new coach, a wave of prospects, and the right veteran mix, the Phantoms looked like a team that could be in the Calder Cup conversation while providing a steady pipeline for the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Instead, the Phantoms are falling apart at the worst time. They might miss the playoffs, and based on their play from the past three months, it wouldn’t be surprising either. “It’s been a 63, four-five month stretch where we’ve talked about the same thing,” Phantoms head coach John Snowden stated after the 5-3 loss, a loss that looked all too familiar for the Allentown faithful who have watched this team for the past few months. 

Bad Habits Are Still Costing The Phantoms

The penalties have been an issue all season, and it was noticeable again in the loss to the Thunderbirds. The Phantoms took three early on in the game that prevented them from establishing any momentum and instead had them chasing the game. It’s been the story all season, and it’s something they should have fixed a while ago. 

Good teams, or more accurately, well-coached teams, don’t take penalties. The Phantoms are a better team than their record suggests but they can’t get out of their own way with the penalties beating themselves up. “I think we should learn from them, it’s a continual conversation every day that we have to manage pucks in certain areas, that we have to be on the right side of the game,” Snowden noted after the recent game. 

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Along with the penalties are the errors, especially on the defensive end. The breakdowns in their zone and the poor plays on the rush have resulted in goals the other way. “Eventually, we’re going to have to learn that being on the right side of the game is important. You just can’t make mistakes, and when you do, it ends up in the back of our net,” Snowden added. 

All of these issues are fixable and should have been taken care of a while back. Yet, it’s March, while there are only nine games left in the season, and the same mistakes are costing the Phantoms games. Some of it is coaching. Most of it falls on the players, including some defense prospects with an eye on the NHL who are proving why they must remain in the American Hockey League. 

Phantoms Have No Answers Because Nobody is Left 

The Phantoms heading into the latest game looked like a team depleted of talent. They didn’t look like the same team that entered the season with a surplus of prospects or talent across the board. It’s why Snowden isn’t the one to blame for the Phantoms' collapse, as he doesn’t have much to work with. 

The Denver Barkey call-up took the energy out of the team. He was the motor for the first two months, who made everyone around him better. It’s why the Phantoms were at the top of the Atlantic Division and why the Flyers are excited about the future, knowing they have a building block who will bring a high competitive level on every shift. 

The Alex Bump, Carl Grundestrom, Emil Andrea, and Garrett Wilson call-ups have left the Phantoms with minimal talent. Throw in the injuries to a few big names, and the reality is that the Phantoms aren’t a good team. 

This is where the collapse is justified and, to a point, understandable. That said, the Phantoms should be better than what they’ve been lately. They brought in veterans to handle these issues, players like Lane Pederson and Phil Tomasino, who can carry the weight when the prospects aren’t available. Yet, the Phantoms aren’t getting enough from them, and it’s a sign that this team isn’t good enough for the playoffs. 

How Lehigh Valley Can Avoid The Collapse

The Phantoms must lean into their new identity. In the first two months, they were a skilled team that could win with their forwards leading the way. The next two months, they clawed their way to victories by playing a heavier brand of hockey with a focus on defense and forechecking. Now, it’s about the defenseman stepping up and taking over games. 

The defense prospects are the ones who can save the Phantoms season. David Jiricek and Oliver Bonk must add a spark, and they haven’t lately. While Jiricek had an assist in the 5-3 loss, Bonk has looked slow or a step behind the play, something a scout noted during the game. 

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The other key to success is for them to play simple hockey. It’s what the Phantoms did two weeks back, and it resulted in a three-in-three weekend where they won two of the three games. They must get back to playing that way and cleaning things up with the season on the line. “We can control our own fate when we stick to our plan and play the game the right way,” Snowden mentioned. The Phantoms, in many ways, are their own worst enemy, yet that’s who has defeated them time and time again this season.