USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms Notebook: Week 13

Published on December 20, 2011 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - After a pair of road wins last weekend, the Youngstown Phantoms enter the holiday break - the symbolic halfway mark of the season - with their best record since joining the United States Hockey League. The Phantoms (16-6-1, T-second East) got a marquee win over the Green Bay Gamblers on Friday and followed that with a convincing victory over the Des Moines Buccaneers on Saturday to give them a 7-4-0 road record to pair with their league-best 9-2-1 record at home in the Covelli Centre. The Phantoms will return to action on Dec. 28, when they travel to take on Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

The Week In Review

Game 22: Belonger Banks In Game-Winner Over First-Place Gamblers

The Phantoms handed the Gamblers (20-4-1, first East) their first regulation loss in 13 games, beating the three-time Clark Cup champions 5-3 Friday night. Mike Ambrosia led the way with a pair of goals and an assist but it was Green Bay, Wis. native Ryan Belonger who netted the game-winner in the third period. The Phantoms battled back from 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to enter the final frame tied 3-3. Belonger redirected a Mike Gunn slap shot off his skate into the net to give the Phantoms the go-ahead goal at the 6:54 mark in the third and Ambrosia capped things off with a power-play tally a little more than five minutes later to secure the franchise's first road win in the Resch Center.

Game 23: Phantoms Rout Buccaneers, Head Into Break Tied For Second Place

The Phantoms spread out the scoring, getting goals from seven different players as they downed the Buccaneers 7-4 Saturday night in Des Moines, Iowa. Austin Cangelosi and Ambrosia both netted short-handed goals, with the latter's coming just 34 seconds after the Buccaneers had tied the game up in the second period. The twosome also added a pair of assists a piece, as did Belonger, and Alex Gacek, Soren Jonzzon, Dylan Margonari, Eric Sweetman, and Jordan Young all had multi-point nights with a goal and an assist each.

Loose Pucks

-- The pair of wins over the weekend gave the Phantoms four straight - and three straight on the road - heading into the holiday break. This is already the third time this season that Youngstown has strung together a four-game winning streak.

-- Left wing Mike Ambrosia was named the USHL's co-CCM Offensive Player of the Week and defenseman Eric Sweetman was named CCM Defensive Player of the Week for their efforts over the weekend. It is the first time either has earned the honor but the second time the Phantoms have had two players named in the same week - the only team in the USHL with that distinction this season. Center Dylan Margonari and defenseman Jordan Young captured the same two awards the fifth week of the season.

-- Center Austin Cangelosi scored his league-leading fifth short-handed goal of the season and set up Ambrosia for another Saturday against Des Moines. The 17-year-old out of Estero, Fla. has already eclipsed the league-high for short-handed goals from last season. The Phantoms have scored a combined eight shorties this season, more than any other team in the USHL.

-- Recently-acquired center Soren Jonzzon scored his first goal - coming only 34 seconds into the game - and added an assist for his first points as a Phantom Saturday night against the Bucs. It was his first multi-point game since notching four assists on Nov. 13 while he was still with Tri-City. He recorded nine multi-point games last season as he led the Storm in scoring.

The Week Ahead

Game 24: Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 8:05 p.m. EST - Phantoms at Cedar Rapids

A hungry Cedar Rapids team awaits the Phantoms as they exit the holiday break. The RoughRiders (9-9-7) are one of the traditional USHL powers, but they have won just one of their last eight games. They also have a league-high seven losses in overtime, with two of those coming at the hands of the Phantoms in the Covelli Centre earlier this season. At Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, however, the Phantoms are 0-4-1 in franchise history.

Games 25 & 26: Friday, Dec. 30 at 7:05 p.m. & Saturday, Dec. 31 at 6:05 p.m. EST - Phantoms at Indiana

The Phantoms have the chance to create some separation for themselves with a pair of games against the rival Indiana Ice. The Ice (14-7-4, third East) trail the Phantoms in the standings by just a single point, although Youngstown has two games in hand. Last time the teams met, back on Nov. 5 in the Covelli Centre, the Phantoms won 4-3 in a shootout with Mike Ambrosia netting the game-winner.

They Said It

"I tell the guys all the time that if they want to know what our team is all about, just look at No. 14 - just the way he acts off the ice. Watch the way he plays the game and watch what he does in crucial situations down near the end. Then, to hear him after the game in the locker room say, 'this is what we expect to do, it's no big deal' - that's the reason he's our captain."

-- Head Coach Anthony Noreen on team captain Mike Ambrosia after his two-goal night against Green Bay.

Phantoms Leaders

Points: Mike Ambrosia (7G-17A-24PTS)

Goals: JT Stenglein (13)

Assists: Ambrosia (17)

Power-Play Goals: Stenglein (4)

Short-Handed Goals: Austin Cangelosi (5, first in USHL)

Points by a Defenseman: Jordan Young (2G-8A-10PTS)

Plus/Minus: Cangelosi (plus-15, T-fourth in USHL)

Wins: Matthew O'Connor (13, T-first in USHL)

Save Percentage: O'Connor (.915, fourth in USHL)

Goals Against Average: O'Connor (2.48, third in USHL)

Phantoms Alumni Watch

-- Forward Danny Mattson (2010-2011) netted his first career Division-I college hockey goal on Saturday as Bemidji State defeated Alabama-Huntsville 5-1.

Phantoms tickets make the perfect holiday stocking stuffers! For a limited time four purple level ticket vouchers along with a Phantoms T-Shirt are available for low price of just $20! Call the Phantoms office at 330.747.7825 for more information or to place an order.

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 .

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 20, 2011


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