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Phantoms Strike Early But Fall to Team USA

September 15, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL) Youngstown Phantoms

ORCHARD LAKE, Mich. - The Youngstown Phantoms grabbed the lead, but it was not enough to hold off an experienced Team USA in their first exhibition game of the preseason. The Phantoms fell 7-1 to the Under-18 National Team Saturday night at St. Mary's Preparatory School in the first of a two-game set.

The teams will face off again Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. EST at the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor.

Mac MacSorely scored the lone goal for the Phantoms while goaltender Patrick Spano made 29 saves over all 60 minutes of action from St. Mary's.

"There's a reason we play [the U18 team] for our first game," head coach Anthony Noreen said. "They're a skilled team that's been together for a year and a half. They're definitely the sharpest team in the league right now. You know you're going to go through some adversity."

MacSorely put the Phantoms up 1-0 at the 3:47 mark in the first off an assist from Ryan Badger.

"I though we came out and played hard from the beginning," Noreen said. "We just put a puck behind their defensemen and Ryan Badger went in and won a battle on the forecheck. Mac made a heady play and just hung in front of the net and banged it in."

But Team USA followed with a pair of goals from Hudson Fasching and Shane Eiserman to make it a 2-1 game heading into the second period.

Team USA added a pair of short-handed goals before the 4-minute mark in the second to make it a three-goal game. JT Compher added another on the power play a little more than 4 minutes later and the Phantoms found themselves with a four-goal deficit to start the third.

Eiserman tallied his second of the night at the 5:58 mark and Dawson Cook capped off the scoring less than a minute later to secure the win.

"I'm not worried about scoreboards or wins or losses," Noreen said. "What we're worried about is how we play the game and how we represent our program. There were definitely spurts tonight

"Our biggest challenge is can we take the mistakes we made tonight and improve tomorrow."

Phantoms by the Numbers

Shots - 27

Saves - 29

Power Play - 0-for-7

Penalty Kill - 5-for-6 (83.3 percent)

Goals - Macsorley

Assists - Badger

Season tickets for the 2012-13 season are on sale now starting at the low price of just $7 a game. Benefits include invitations to exclusive season ticket holder events, discounts at the Phantoms Team Shop, playoff priority and much more. Call 330.747.PUCK (7825) for more information or to reserve seats today. For all the latest news, visit www.YoungstownPhantoms.com, follow the Phantoms on Twitter ( @YtownPhantoms ) and "˜like' them on Facebook ( www.Facebook.com/YoungstownPhantoms ).

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United States Hockey League Stories from September 15, 2012


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