USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Margonari's first not enough as Lancers frustrate Phantoms

Published on February 19, 2010 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A pair of unfavorable bounces in the second period put the Youngstown Phantoms down, and then two third-period goals by visiting Omaha put them out Friday night at Covelli Centre in the Lancers' 4-1 road win.

With the score 1-0 Omaha, Youngstown's Jiri Sekac appeared to tie the game with 9:20 gone in the middle frame, poking a loose puck into Lancers goalie Jeff Teglia's paraphernalia and seemingly over the goal line. After a long deliberation, the apparent tally was waved off by the officials.

About six minutes later, Omaha's Dakota Eveland gathered a bouncing puck and turned it into a breakaway from 70 feet. Eveland beat Phantoms netminder Jordan Tibbett with a backhand deke to put the Lancers up 2-0 and turn the tables on the home side.

After Dylan Margonari converted Brett Gensler's centering pass for his first USHL goal in his eighth game at 8:18 of the third, Tom Craig and Seth Ambroz put the game on ice with even-strength markers less than five minutes apart, sending the Lancers (31-12-3, 65 points) to their second win in five days over the Phantoms and boosting their lead in the West Division to four points over second-place Fargo.

Youngstown (15-28-2, 32 points) fell at home for the sixth time in a row dating back to a 7-3 win over Team USA Jan. 18. The Phantoms, who dropped a 6-1 decision at Omaha last Sunday, generated just one goal for the eighth time in their last 10 games despite controlling the play for long periods of time throughout the contest.

Two of the top scorers in the USHL hooked up for the first score of the game, as Erik Haula (third in the league with 61 points) found Matt White (second with 69) from above the left dot at 18:16 of the opening frame. White drove a slap shot through traffic and inside the right post for his 26th goal.

Eveland's second-period breakaway goal materialized in a hurry, with Ambroz hoisting a clear into the atmosphere that bounced directly to Eveland's stick as he streaked through the neutral zone. In the decisive third, Craig's insurance goal came off an offensive zone faceoff just 61 seconds after Margonari struck from the top of the crease to cut the lead in half.

Eveland returned Ambroz's earlier favor with a set-up of his own with 6:03 remaining in the game to increase the Omaha lead to 4-1. Ambroz, who had two goals and an assist against the Phantoms in the teams' previous meeting, one-timed Eveland's pass high into the Youngstown net from inside the left circle.

The two clubs will collide again Saturday night at 7:15 as the Phantoms present Mario Lemieux Foundation Night. Valuable NHL merchandise will be available for bid throughout the game, such as signed jerseys from Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby as well as four Igloo Club tickets for an upcoming Pittsburgh Penguins game at Mellon Arena! Log onto www.youngstownphantoms.com to print off the MLF Night flyer and donate $3 from your ticket purchase to the Mario Lemieux Foundation for cancer research.

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 19, 2010


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