USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms Break Skid with 4-2 Win Over Muskegon

Published on December 3, 2011 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


Muskegon, Mich. - Youngstown Phantoms Head Coach Anthony Noreen knew his team was going to win before the puck dropped Saturday night at the L.C. Walker Arena. The Phantoms - battered, bruised and playing their third game in as many nights - fulfilled that expectation with a 4-2 victory over the Muskegon Lumberjacks, bouncing back 24 hours after they had been shutout for the first time all season.

"The guys' attitude and their demeanor all day long was just awesome," Noreen said. "In our pregame speech we usually talk about X's and O's but we didn't today. We talked about how much we each love the game and how we were going to sacrifice for each other.

"It was the best energy we've had on the bench from start to finish in any game this year."

Todd Koritzinsky, JT Stenglein, Chris Bradley and Eric Sweetman all scored while 17-year-old goaltender Sean Romeo turned away 17 of 19 shots to give the Phantoms (13-6-1) their first win over their heated rivals in four meetings this season.

The Lumberjacks (8-10-0) jumped to the lead at the 9:46 mark in the first period, when Travis Belohrad put the puck past Romeo amidst a scrum in the slot. But with less than four minutes left in the first, Koritizinsky, who was a late addition to the lineup, tied it up for the Phantoms. Margonari skated the puck behind the net, drawing the Muskegon defender, and Koritzinsky floated into the slot unnoticed. Margonari hit him in front of the net and the Verona, Wis. native neatly put it past goaltender John Keeney for his third of the season.

Stenglein gave the Phantoms their first lead of the season against Muskegon with 6:28 remaining in the second. Mike Ambrosia skated the puck in on a 3-on-2 and dropped it for Stenglein high in the slot as Ryan Belonger drove to the net. Stenglein wound up and sent it low, through traffic and past Keeney on the blocker-side to put the Phantoms up 2-1 after 40 minutes.

"I got a sweet pass from [Ambrosia] - it created time and space for me - and I just threw it far-side low to try to get a chance for Belonger," Stenglein said. "It just ended up sneaking in there."

Bradley put the Phantoms up two goals in the third with a cannonading shot from outside the blue line that struck Keeney in the blocker, bounced down and trickled across the goal line. But just 29 seconds later, at the 7:13 mark, Tyler Murray redirected a point shot from Nick Seeler to bring the Lumberjacks back within one.

A little less than eight minutes later, Sweetman put the Phantoms back up two for good with the first of his United States Hockey League career. The Woodbine, Md. native got the puck up at the left point and stepped into a heavy slap shot. Keeney got a piece of it, but it squirted through his five-hole into the back of the net.

"There's a reason I'm so proud to be part of this organization and you just saw it," Noreen said. "To be playing our third game in three days, as banged up as can possibly be... and to come out and have the effort that we did tonight, I told the guys after the game - and I was dead serious - this is the proudest I've been of a team in my five-year coaching career."

Phantoms by the Numbers

42 - Shots

17 - Saves

100 percent - Penalty Kill (1-for-1)

0G-2A-2PTS - Margonari

1G-0A-1PT - Bradley, Koritzinsky, Stenglein, Sweetman

Next on the Slate

The Phantoms host the Chicago Steel Saturday, December 10 in the Covelli Centre. It's the Phantoms' Teddy Bear Toss and will receive a $4 discount on walk-up purple level tickets for bringing a stuffed animal to donate to Akron Children's Hospital of Mahoning Valley.

Single game tickets for the 2011-12 season are on sale now. Season ticket and flex plans start at the low price of just $90. Call the Phantoms office today at 330.747.7825 for more information or to make a reservation today! For a complete Phantoms schedule, visit www.youngstownphantoms.com .

Check out the Youngstown Phantoms Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 3, 2011


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