Former Royal Jacob Gaucher Garners Two Points & Valuable Experience in Phantoms' Calder Cup Playoff Run

Reading, PA - Former Reading Royals forward Jacob Gaucher and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms concluded their 2024 Calder Cup Playoff run on Saturday, May 11 following a 5-3 loss to the Hershey Bears in game four of the Atlantic Division Semifinals at the PPL Center. The Bears took the best-of-five series three games to one. Gaucher recorded two points (1g-1a), a -2 rating and 10 shots on goal through Lehigh Valley's six Calder Cup Playoff games.

"(Gaucher) was great. I love Gauch," head coach Ian Laperriere said. "At the beginning of the year, I didn't know where to play him. We had so many young guys that played in front of him but he stayed with us, he stayed with it, stayed with me and he got rewarded...he's got a bright future. Smart guy and picks ups everything pretty quickly. It's a hell of a year for him. I'm proud of him."

Under an AHL contract with the Phantoms, the 23-year-old forward registered an assist in the series deciding game four against Hershey on May 11. Gaucher tallied his first of two Calder Cup Playoff career points with an overtime series-clinching goal in game two of the Atlantic Division First Round best-of-three series against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday, April 26 at the PPL Center.

"To be honest, I kind of blacked out there at the end," Gaucher stated. "I've been trying to do my role the best I can with face-offs, defensively and it feels really good to get the goal."