Goalie prospect Carter Hart joining Phantoms for playoffs
Carter Hart, who might be the most promising goalie in the Flyers' farm system, was reassigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Monday and he will be available for the AHL playoffs.
Carter Hart, who might be the most promising goalie in the Flyers' farm system, was reassigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Monday and he will be available for the AHL playoffs.
Lehigh Valley, the Flyers' top affiliate, will meet the Hershey Bears in a best-of-five, opening-round series that begins Friday at the PPL Center in Allentown.
Goalie Alex Lyon figures to get most of the action, but Martin Ouellette and Hart will also be available. Anthony Stolarz is injured and unavailable for the playoffs.
Hart, 18, starred this season with Everett in the Western Hockey League, compiling a 32-11-2 record, a league-best 1.99 goals-against average, and a .927 save percentage.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Hart was selected by the Flyers in the second round (48th overall) in June. He was the first goalie taken in the draft, and this year he was a member of Team Canada's silver-medal team at the World Junior Championships.
The Phantoms, second-place finishers in the AHL's Atlantic Division, went 7-4-1 against Hershey in the regular season. Hershey is the Washington Capitals' top farm team.
Several Phantoms, including defensemen Sam Morin, Robert Hagg, and Travis Sanheim, are candidates to be with the Flyers next season.
Defenseman T.J. Brennan, the pride of Moorestown, led the Phantoms this season with 60 points, and left winger Greg Carey paced the team with 28 goals.
This is the Phantoms' 11th postseason appearance, and they have captured two Calder Cup championships (1998, 2005) in the team's 20-year history.
Tickets are available at pplcenter.com or by calling at 610-347-TIXX.
Phantoms' first-round schedule
Best of five series
Game 1: Friday, 7:05 p.m., PPL Center, Allentown
Game 2:- Saturday, 7:05 p.m., PPL Center
Game 3: April 26, 7 p.m., Giant Center, Hershey, Pa.
Game 4:* April 29, 7 p.m., Giant Center
Game 5:* April 30, 5:05 p.m., PPL Center
*If necessary
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