Charlotte edged Lehigh Valley 4-1 on Sunday afternoon at Charlotte’s home rink in the season finale for the Phantoms. The Checkers tallied four power-play goals and outshot the Phantoms 37 to 27. Jack Berglund scored his first goal in North America in the third period, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Charlotte’s offensive surge.
Jack Studnicka led the way for the Checkers with two goals and two assists. His 11th and 12th goals of the season helped Charlotte (44-23-5) wrap up the regular season on a high note as they head into the Calder Cup Playoffs. Sandis Vilmanis and Ben Steeves also found the back of the net for Charlotte.
Lehigh Valley (31-35-6) split its final two games of the season. Yaniv Perets made 23 saves in his second consecutive start but was unable to match the shutout performance he delivered the day before. The Checkers capitalized on their opportunities, going 4-for-8 on the power play while holding the Phantoms to 0-for-7.
Studnicka hit the post twice in the first period but found the net twice in the third. Vilmanis opened the scoring with a one-timer late in the first. The second period was scoreless but physical, with both teams trading hits and penalties. Charlotte’s power play was a key factor, especially after they took a 2-0 lead when Steeves scored just 10 seconds into the third.
Louis Domingue left the game early in the third period with an apparent injury. Charlotte’s backup goaltender Kirill Gerasimyuk entered the game and held steady for the remainder of the contest. Berglund’s goal came on a breakaway after a give-and-go in the corner of the Phantoms zone. It was his first in just five games with the team.
Anthony Richard tallied an assist on Berglund’s goal and finished the season with 27 assists, leading the Phantoms in that category. Lane Pederson, the team’s leading scorer with 48 points, missed the final two weeks of the season due to injury. Jacob Gaucher finished second in team scoring with 20 goals.
With the regular season complete, many Phantoms players will join the Black Aces practice squad as the Flyers continue their Stanley Cup Playoff run. The Phantoms will return to PPL Center for preseason games in September with the 2026-27 regular season expected to begin in October.
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