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Romeo Rebukes Dubuque, Phantoms Win 3-2

September 21, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL) Youngstown Phantoms

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - Two days after being included among the "Players to Watch" for the 2013 NHL Draft, Sean Romeo made a statement to all the scouts in attendance at IBP Ice Arena - and more importantly to, his coaches and teammates on the bench.

The Cary, N.C., was a stellar between the pipes, turning away 31 shots to back-stop the Youngstown Phantoms to a 3-2 win over the Dubuque Fighting Saints in their second game of the USHL Fall Classic.

The Phantoms got goals from Austin Cangelosi, Luke Stork and JT Stenglein, who scored for the second straight night.

"It was the best hockey game we've been a part of so far," head coach Anthony Noreen said. "The physicality and pace of the game was great and Sean was very good tonight. He made some big saves when we needed him."

The Phantoms jumped out to the lead early in the first when Cangelosi cashed in on a power play. The Boston College commit snuck to the back door and banged in a rebound off a Stenglein wrist shot to make it 1-0 before the game was two minutes old.

Stork made it a two-goal game at the 15:06 mark off a frantic scramble in front of the net. Kale Bennett hit Alexander Dahl with a pass through the slot and the puck popped up and landed in the crease behind Dubuque goalie Connor Girard. Stork crashed the net and cashed in for his first goal in a Phantoms uniform.

Dubuque's frustration came to a boiling point with 4:51 remaining in the first when Brandon Carlson picked a fight with Dan Renouf. Just 18 seconds after play resumed Jimmy Mazza dropped the gloves with Dubuque's Jimmy Fossen, taking him down to end the bout and raising his arms to pump up the crowd on his way to the box.

The Phantoms started the second short-handed and spent most of the period that way, forced to kill off four penalties - including three in a row over a seven-minute span. Dubuque had a goal waved off during one of them when Peter Quennville bowled into Romeo on a breakaway, knocking the goalie and the puck over the line, and the net off it's moorings.

Stenglein seized a short-handed opportunity at the 5:50 mark when Cangelosi forced a turnover that turned into a Youngstown 2-on-0. The Greece, N.Y., native, took the lead, cut across the crease and roofed a backhand to make it 3-0.

In the other net Romeo was spectacular making sprawling save after sprawling save - 11 in the period - and stifling the ravenous the Fighting Saints power play.

"Getting out of that unscathed was really big for us," Romeo said. "It was really good for our momentum."

Shane Sooth finally broke Romeo's bid for a shutout 10:24 into the third period, when he fired a wrist shot over the left pad on a breakaway. Then with 4:48 remaining Frankie DiChiara batted a rebound out of midair in the midst of a scrum in front of the net to bring Dubuque within one.

But Romeo and the Phantoms weathered the storm - thanks in part to some critcal shot-blocking from Todd Koritzinsky in the final seconds - to come away with their first win of the Fall Classic.

"I worked on my mental game a lot over the summer, and it definitely helped in a situation like that when they scored two goals towards the end," Romeo said. "But when Todd blocked that shot, I got more pumped than any save I made tonight. That saved us the game right there."

Phantoms by the Numbers

Shots - 23

Saves - 31

Power Play - 1-for-3 (33 percent)

Penalty Kill - 5-for-5 (100 percent)

Goals - Cangelosi, Stork, Stenglein

Assists - Anas, Bennett, Cangelosi, Dahl, Stenglein

Next on the Slate

The Phantoms will close out things at the Fall Classic Saturday morning against the Green Bay Gamblers. The puck drops at 11 a.m. EST and will be broadcast online on FASTHockey.com.

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 21, 2012


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