| Goalie and Army Captain Returns for 2nd Season in Lehigh Valley |
 Allentown, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have re-signed goaltender Parker Gahagen to a one-year contract for the 2024-25 season. Gahagen, 31, stepped up nicely in his 18 games with the Phantoms last season going 7-8-3, 2.59, .914. He also played 14 games with the Reading Royals in the ECHL where he was 10-4-0, 2.28, .936. Having spent most of his career in the ECHL, the West Point product rose to the occasion as a backup goalie for Lehigh Valley to produce his best-ever AHL campaign. The 6-3, lefty-catch goaltender from Buffalo, NY is entering his sixth professional season and his second with Lehigh Valley. This is the first time he will have the opportunity to play for the same team in consecutive seasons. “I love the energy the fans bring,” Gahagen said about his experience at PPL Center. “It’s always a nice buzz in town when things are going well. It’s also nice just having a smaller community as well. You kind of feel like you’re a bigger part of the community because you’re not in a huge market. You just kind of get a more intimate and personal feel with the fans. Looking forward to that and it’s going to be a great time and I’m looking forward to getting back.” |
 A fantastic moment for Gahagen and Phan Nation came in the team’s regular-season finale on April 21, 2024 when the Army Captain was honored as the team’s nightly Hometown Hero during the second period. While appreciating and celebrating a raucous ovation from the PPL Center crowd, Gahagen triumphantly raised his arms encouraging the fans to give him more!Gahagen’s accomplishments and tour include four years at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he starred for the hockey team. Upon graduation, he was commissioned into the Army as a Second Lieutenant. While stationed at Fort Carson, CO, Gahagen was assigned to the 1st Strike Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division where he received two Army commendation medals. He was honorably discharged from active duty in 2022 at the rank of Captain but remains active in the reserves. His 18 games played with the Phantoms was more than he had previously played in his entire AHL career having entered the season with just 12 career AHL games scattered across four partial seasons including his old career-high five games in 2017-18 with the San Jose Barracuda. |
 His Lehigh Valley debut on October 15, 2023 against the Belleville Senators was also his first AHL game in almost exactly two years and was his first AHL win in three seasons since April 25, 2021. On February 10, 2024 he came tantalizingly close to his first career AHL shutout but the Bridgeport Islanders were credited with a disputed third-period goal that was only allowed following a video review.Gahagen has played in 30 career AHL games with Lehigh Valley, Milwaukee, Colorado, Toronto and San Jose going a combined 12-12-3, 2.87, .903. His ECHL tour has included a Kelly Cup title with the Florida Everblades in 2022 and five honors as ECHL Goaltender of the Week. The well-traveled backstop has played in 114 career ECHL games with Reading, Jacksonville, Florida, Utah and Newfoundland going 68-30-4, 2.30, .923. (Photos provided by Phantoms Hockey Team) |
