NEXT GAME
SUMMER LEAGUE FEES
STANDINGS
PHANTOMS GEAR UP FOR SUMMER '22 SEASON
The West Michigan Phantoms will kick-off the team's 53rd season of hockey this May and will heat up the ice Walker Ice & Fitness as the gray shirts close out the 19th year of Phantom Hockey. The Phantoms will return to the Sunday Division in the western Grand Rapids suburb of Walker, Michigan this summer to battle seven other teams in the shortened summer season. The Black, Yellow and Gray squad will again be comprised of 14 skaters and a goaltender, as the Phantoms continue to make minor changes during a slight re-build that started the season prior. The Phantoms will see the call-up of Hunter Tuggle from the defending Tuesday night league champion Lakeside Locomotives into a full-time role with the gray shirts, as Tuggle will be given the 'A' as an assist captain this upcoming season. Hunter will join Phantom captain Trent Kik and fellow assist captain Zach Kinney, along with Shawn DeBoer, Matt Zehr, Andrew Erickson, Nate Skoboda, Dan Datema, Brenden Sikkema, Brendan Bender, Chris Laux, Andrew Page, Adam Porczysnki, Brad Zehr and Kevin Wootton on the Phantoms this season. The Phantoms will utilize a substitute list that includes Hunter DeGarmo, Kyle Clark, Jake Blok, Pavol Fabian, Justin VanOverloop and Wes Harmon in part, as the team will be looking to secure more full-time players for the following Winter 2022-23 season. League fees are expected to be $135 per full time player, with half of the money due by June 10, 2022 and the balance due by July 12, 2022. Click HERE to view player balances.
PHANTOMS CLOSE OUT WINTER SEASON WITH 12-9-0-1 MARK
The West Michigan Phantoms closed out the Winter 2021-2022 season on Sunday, April 24th with a defeat to Team English in the post-season. The Phantoms would complete the season with an overall 12-9-0-1 record on the season, which was the team's 52nd season dating back to the team's start in September of 2002. The Men of Phantom Nation would finish tied with Team English in fourth place in the 12 team circuit during the regular season, recording a league second-best 95 goals on the season. The Phantoms would be led by Chris Laux with 31 points (19G, 12A), Andrew Erickson 19 points (10G, 9A) and Zach Kinney (12G, 5A). On the defensive side, the Phantoms would finish as the fourth best team with a goals against of 75. The Phantoms completed the campaign as one of only five teams with a positive goal differential (+20) on the season and held the distinction as being the second highest penalized team in the league with 89 minutes of sins called against them on the season. The Phantoms began the season with three straight losses before finding their nitch and success in the competitive league. As the Phantoms and country continued to return to life following the Covid pandemic, the Phantoms would be forced to muddle through a slight rebuild in the substitute and full time player departments, a process that made huge leaps during the season and will continue into the summer season before hopefully calming down prior to the Winter 2022-2023 season in which a handful of subs will receive full-time slots at the conclusion. Following the recently completed season, the Phantoms have played in a total of 889 league games and feature a lifetime record of 514-339-9-27 since starting play in 2002. The Phantoms will take a few weeks off to rest the legs before kicking off the team's 53rd season in May.
PHANTOMFEST RETURNS SATURDAY, JULY 30TH
Before we know it warm temperatures will be invading the West Michigan landscape and the West Michigan Phantoms will again heat up the night for one night this summer as PhantomFest returns. The annual team party will take place on Saturday, July 30th at Ian & Michelle's house near Grand Haven and will once again feature an afternoon and evening full of fun. Absolute Entertainment's Mikey will DJ the event with karaoke in the evening. The afternoon will be filled with fun in the pool and hot-tub. As has been the case for over a decade, special videos will be shown to highlight the near-20 year history of the Phantoms and of course...plenty of food and beer will be available. More information will be made available in the coming months. Be sure to circle Saturday, July 30th on your calendars and plan on attending another PhantomFest Party with the Phantoms, Zombies, Locomotives and friends. Additional information can also be found on the facebook event...if you did not get an invite through Facebook for this event, please contact Kevin Wootton or a member of the Phantoms.
MILESTONES
Datema: 2 assists from 50 assists
Skoboda: 4 Assists from 150 assists
Erickson: 6 Assists from 100
MZehr: 8 Assists from 100 assists
Porczynski: 10 goals from 50 goals
Erickson: 18 goals from 150 goals
Laux: 18 goals from 250 goals
Updated 4-26-22
CALENDAR
MAY 12, '22 (Thurs): Whitecaps Dog Game
JUNE 7, '22 (Tues): Whitecaps Dog Game
JULY 30, '22: PhantomFest 2022
AUG. 20, '22: Kenny Chesney @Ford Field Detroit
SEPT. 7, '22 (Wed): Whitecaps Dog Game
RINK
LEAGUE SITE
INFORMATION FROM CAPTAIN'S MEETING FOR SEASON
The defending league champion Lakeside Locomotives will kick off the team’s tenth season and begin their ninth year of play on Tuesday, October 4th. The Locomotives will be joined by five other teams (Beerly Legal, Lancers, Busch Leaguers, Fort Freight and Sei Bella Tattoo (formerly the house team) for the 2022-2023 season at Lakeshore Sports Centre. On September 26th, captains of each of the teams along with rink management held their pre-season meeting in preparation of the new season. Information from the meeting is highlighted by the following:
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League Fees for each team will be $4375 (this is an overall increase of $475 from the previous season). In terms of the Locomotives, fees will be $313 per player (13 skaters & goaltender). Teams are required to have a quarter of the team’s league fees paid by the following dates: October 18, November 15, January 17, February 14).
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Game times will be 8:45pm, 9:50pm and 10:00pm for the season. (In the event earlier ice times during the season, games will be shifted with as much notice as possible). 8:45pm and 9:50pm games will be played on the North Rink, while the 10:00pm game will be played on the South Rink
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Change from Last Season: A No Slap Shot Rule will be introduced this season. At the discretion of the referee, if a person takes a slap-shot, the play will be whistled dead (no penalty for slap shots; however, intent to injure penalty could be called if it is a complete and obvious slap-shot
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Players will be limited to 4 goals per game (Shoot-Out does not count)
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In the event of a tie at end of regulation, the game will enter a 3-Round Shoot-out. If no winner is determined during the three-round shoot-out, sudden-death rounds will be added until a winner is determined.
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Games will be three-11 minute periods.
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Change from Last Season: Subs will be permitted (as well as regular players) on multiple teams during the regular season. Subs will not be able to play for multiple teams in the post-season and the 3-game eligibility for post-season will remain.
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Fighting: If a player gets into a fight, he will be suspended for the number of games deemed by the referee and the rink. A $20 fee will be assessed for each suspended—payable to Lakeshore Sports Center. In the event a player gets into two fights during the season, the player must meet for an in-person meeting with rink staff prior to returning to play.
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The rink will continue to enforce that players will be respectful to the referees, game staff and rink staff. Referees do have the right to penalize players, eject players and suspend players (including the $20 fee) for players who fight, argue, swear, etc at referees, game staff and rink staff.
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Lakeshore Sports Centre will be moving all league standings, stats and league information to their website at www.lakeshoresportscentre.net. This will replace Project Hockey. Once their website is up and running with links, we will provide the information and links on the Locos website.
PHANTOMS RETURN TO YOST ICE ARENA ON MAY 20
Due to several requests by several players, the Phantoms have added a game at Yost Ice Arena, home of the Michigan Wolverines Hockey Club to the 2022-2023 series of Black vs. Gray games. The game will take place on Saturday, May 20th from 3:00-4:30pm. Price to skate in this game will be $45 and will be limited to 24 skaters (12 skaters vs. 12 skaters) and 2 goaltenders. During this Yost game, the Phantoms will shift to Yellow jerseys vs. Black jerseys, which will be provided during the game for use by those playing in game. Click links above to sign up or for more information. (Be sure to tab over to the 'Yost' tab to see the details). The Yost skate is currently filled; Sign-Up for wait list.