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With Leading Scorers Gone, Phantoms Need Others to Step up against Ice

October 30, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL) Youngstown Phantoms

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Youngstown Phantoms and Indiana Ice meet Wednesday at the Covelli Centre for a Halloween night faceoff. It is the first of 10 contests this season between the two Eastern Conference rivals and both teams will be looking to wrap up difficult Octobers on a high note.

The Phantoms (4-7-0, 8 points) enter the game in the midst of a seven-game slump while the Ice (3-9-1, 7 points) have just one win in their past nine contests. Both clubs were in action last weekend, but despite the short turnaround with a midweek game, Youngstown head coach Anthony Noreen said his team could not get back on the ice fast enough.

"There are definitely things that we need to do in-house and sharpen up on away from games, but ultimately the games are the times to go out and let that show," he said. "We can't wait for our next opportunity to go out and play. I know if you asked our guys, they'd want to play right now."

If the Phantoms are going to halt their recent slide, however, they will have to do so without their top two scorers. Center Austin Cangelosi (six goals, six assists, 12 points) and left wing JT Stenglein (five goals, three assists, eight points) were both selected to represent Team USA at upcoming World Junior A Challenge in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and will miss the team's next five games as a result.

Indiana will also be without its No. 5 scorer Robbie Baillargeon, who was also named to the U.S. team.

Noreen said that there is no use in his team fretting over Cangelsoi and Stenglein's absence. Instead, the second-year head coach said, it should be viewed as an opportunity.

"If you're going to worry about individual players being gone, you're in the wrong sport," Noreen said. "This is a team sport. I'm a true believer in the next guy in line stepping up and carrying the load and taking the opportunity they're given. There's going to be a lot of that going around in the next five games."

Although a pair of players will be leaving the lineup, the Phantoms were buoyed Monday by the return of center Kyle Connor, who was forced to sit out last week's losses to Lincoln and Waterloo with an upper-body injury.

Noreen said that he has been encouraged by his first-year players' eagerness to fill the void left by Cangelosi and Stenglein on the ice. Even more encouraging, he said, were the steps his veterans took Monday in practice to fill the leadership void with the pair of letter-wearers missing from the locker room.

"Yesterday was the best, most competitive practice we've had this year," Noreen said. "Our returners and veteran guys really stepped up deciding how we're going to handle this [losing streak] and move forward.

"I feel like yesterday was important as any win we'll ever have in terms of the steps we made."

Broadcast Schedule

Wednesday, Oct. 31: Phantoms vs. Indiana at 7:30 p.m. EST - ESPN 1240 AM, FASTHockey.com

With Hurricane Sandy expected to put a damper on many Halloween festivities throughout the Mahoning Valley, the Phantoms announced will a Trick-or-Treat alternative at the Covelli Centre Wednesday night.

Trick-or-Treaters are encouraged to wear their costumes to arena, where the Phantoms staff will be handing out candy on the concourse before and during their Halloween night game against the Indiana Ice. All fans 14 years and under will be admitted to the Halloween game free of charge and general admission tickets will be available for accompanying adults for just $5.

General admission tickets are good for every section in the Covelli Centre bowl except yellow level club seats (sections 204 and 205) for this special Halloween celebration. Additionally, the City of Youngstown has waived parking fees for this community event allowing families to park outside the arena free of charge. The Covelli Centre doors will open early at 5:30 p.m.

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 October 30, 2012


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