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 Youngstown Phantoms

Game Notes: vs Sioux Falls

March 6, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN PHANTOMS GAME NOTES

The Phantoms continue their six-game home stand on Friday when they welcome in the Sioux Falls Stam- pede. Youngstown is currently riding a 10-game winning streak, and have moved to within a point of Cedar Rapids for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, and four points back of Sioux City for first overall in the USHL.

LAST SATURDAY RECAP: The Youngstown Phantoms (29-13-5) picked up a 7-1 win over the Fargo Force on Saturday night. Forward Josh Melnick scored a hat trick and added two assists for a career-high five point game. Forward Kyle Connor added a pair of goals, while forwards Max Letunov and Kiefer Sherwood each added lone goals. The win pushes the Phantoms' winning streak to 10 games, and pulls them to within a point of Cedar Rapids for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Phantoms wasted little time getting onto the score board, as just 10:42 into the opening period, Sherwood sent a pass to Letunov who skated behind the net and scored on a wrap around, putting the Phantoms up, 1-0, on Letunov's 22nd goal of the season.

The Phantoms took their 1-0 lead into the locker room after 20 minutes, and in the second, they struck again 11:57 into the frame, when Melnick sent a pass to Sherwood who toe dragged around Fargo goaltender Robbie Beyboun and scored, extending the Youngstown lead to 2-0.

The Phantoms' offense struck again roughly three minutes later while shorthanded, when defenseman Kris Myllari sent an outlet pass to Connor who skated over the Fargo blueline and snapped it past Beydoun, giving the Phantoms a 3-0 lead, 14:20 into the period.

The shorthanded prowess continued 25 seconds later, when forward Matt Alvaro took a shot that was kicked out by Beydoun right to Melnick who slammed home the rebound to push Youngstown's lead to 4-0. He wasn't finished, as with under three minutes left in the period, he gained a step on a Fargo defender and roofed it past Beydoun, lifting the Phantoms to a 5-0 lead after two periods, with his sec- ond of the period.

Melnick capped off the natural hat trick with just over seven minutes remaining in the in the third when he buried a rebound after a Letunov shot, elevating the Phantoms' lead to 6-0.

Youngstown continued their forward motion a little over a minute later while shorthanded, when Con- nor skated in on new Fargo goaltender Mathias Israelsson, and beat him with a backhander for his second marker of the night, sending the Phantoms to a 7-0 lead.

The Force received a late goal from defenseman Jake McLaughlin, but that was all the offense they received, as Phantoms goaltender Chris Birdsall stopped 25 of the 26 of the shots he faced to seal the big 7-1 win for Youngstown.

PREVIEWING SIOUX FALLS: The Stampede are on a seven-game winning streak since acquiring Trey Bradley from Youngstown, outscoring their opponents, 26-9, with two shutouts in that span. They are sitting in fourth place in the USHL's Western Conference. They are led by Cooper Marody, who has accounted for 13 goals and 23 assists since coming to Sioux Falls 25 games ago. He has 34 points (15g, 30a) on the year overall. Behind him is team goals leader Kiefer Bellows (26g, 12a), re- cently-acquired Mikey Eyssimont (17g, 19a), and Dakota Joshua (14g, 18a).

KEY ACQUISITIONS: The Phantoms were active participants at this year's trade deadline. They acquired Chicago Steel defenseman and team captain Connor McDonald along with a third round pick in Phase II of the 2015 USHL Draft, in exchange for defenseman Carson Vance and a first round pick in Phase II of the 2015 USHL Draft . The Phantoms also picked up Waterloo Black Hawks forward Tyler Sheehy, in exchange for forward Bryan Lemos, the Phantoms' second round pick in Phase I of the 2015 USHL Draft, and the Phantoms' second round pick in Phase II of the 2016 USHL Draft. They closed out their busy deadline day by dealing for veteran defenseman, and team captain Alec Vanko of the Madison Capitols, in exchange for the rights to defenseman Carter Ekberg and the Phantoms' third round selection in Phase II of the 2015 USHL Draft.

MAN DOWN? NO PROBLEM: Forward Kyle Connor scored a pair of shorthanded markers in Saturday's 7-1 win over Fargo, giving the Phantoms a League-leading 13 on the year. Forward Ryan Lomberg leads the USHL with six shorthanded goals on the year.

Game 48: Youngstown Phantoms vs Sioux Falls Stampede

Friday, March 6, 2015

Covelli Centre, Youngstown, OH-7:05 pm

YNG: 27-13-5, 59 PTS-2nd Place (East)

SF : 25-15-5, 55 PTS-4th Place (West)

LEAGUE HONORS: Forward Josh Melnick was named CCM Forward of the Week on Monday, after recording six points, including his first-career USHL hat trick, along with a plus-six on-ice rating in two games last weekend. After dishing out an as- sist in the 3-2 shootout win over the Fargo Force on Friday, he registered a career-high five-points, posting a natural hat trick and handing out two more helpers, in a 7-1 win over Fargo. He also finished with a game-high plus-five on-ice rating. Melnick is riding an eight-game point streak, accounting for three goals and 14 assists over that span. He currently leads the USHL with 39 assists, and has added 11 goals for 50 total points on the season, tying him for fifth in League scoring.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Forwards Kyle Connor and Max Letunov have been leading the offense on the Phantoms' cur- rent winning streak. Connor had his eight-game point streak snapped in last Saturday's 3-2 shootout win against Fargo, howev- er he got back on track on Saturday, potting a pair of shorthanded goals in a 7-1 win over the Force. He currently is second in the League with 54 points (22g, 32a) through 43 games played. Letunov had a goals and an assist in Saturday's win, and now has points in eight straight games (7g, 4a). He has 53 points (22g, 31a) on the season, ranking him third in the USHL. Sioux City's Adam Johnson is the current League scoring leader with 57 points (27g, 30a).

BIRD IS THE WORD: Goaltender Chris Birdsall earned his fourth win in a row on Saturday, turning out a 25-save perfor- mance in an 7-1 win over Fargo. The Boston College commit is 6-2-0 in his last eight starts, and has allowed more than three goals on just three occasions during that span.

JUST WIN, BABY!: Goaltender Colin DeAugustine extended his winning streak to six games, with a 19 save perfor- mance in Friday's 3-2 shootout win over Fargo. He has won seven of his last eight starts, and is 10-1-0 overall in his last 13 games played. He has posted a 1.62 goals-against average, and a .937 save percentage on his current six game winning streak.

THE WAIT IS FINALLY OVER: Defenseman Connor Yau scored the game-tying goal in last Friday's 3-2 shootout win over Fargo, marking his first goal as a member of the Youngstown Phantoms. Yau has skated in 46 games with the Phantoms, pro- ducing a goal an eight assists. He also has a team-best plus-15 on-ice rating.

WELL AREN'T YOU SPECIAL: The Phantoms special teams units have been amongst the best in the USHL all season long. The Phantoms currently boast the fifth-ranked power play in the League, converting on 21.08% of their chances (47/223).

Kiefer Sherwood is currently third in the League with 10 power play markers on the year. The penalty kill has been just as solid, ranking second in the USHL, killing off 156/183 opposition power plays (86.89%), while scoring a League-leading 13 shorthanded goals; six of which belong to forward Ryan Lomberg, who leads the USHL in that category. In Overall, 20 different players have recorded at least one special teams point this season.

LEAGUE LEADERS: The Phantoms amongst the leaders in the USHL in many offensive categories, including goals (178) assists (286), points (464), power play goals (47), and shorthanded goals (13). Currently, the Phantoms are second in the League in scoring, averaging 3.78 goals per game.

PHANTOMS STEAL THE SHOW: The Phantoms were the main topic of conversation at the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Dubuque, IA, as the first three goals of the game were scored by Youngstown Phantoms. Forward Kevin Conley had a pair of first period goals and an assist, while forward Chase Pearson tallied a first period goal of his own and also dished out an assist, helping Team East to a 7-4 win. For his efforts, Conley was named Team East Most Valuable Player. It did not stop there, as midway through the second period, goaltender Chris Birdsall came into the game for Team West and proceeded to stop all nine shots he faced. Despite being held off the scoresheet, the Phantoms' other two representatives, forward Kyle Con- nor and defenseman Kris MyllarI, each finished with a plus-one on-ice rating.

ALL-TIME LEADER: With his goal in November 16th's 4-3 overtime loss to the Lincoln Stars, Kyle Connor became the Phan- toms' all-time goal-scoring leader, with the 55th goal of his career, surpassing Sam Anas' 54. Connor scored his 50th career goal back on October 11th, making him the 18th player in USHL history to reach the mark, and just the third player in League history to score 50 before his 18th birthday, joining former Waterloo Black Hawk Taylor Cammarata, and former Omaha Lancer Seth Ambroz. In addition to Connor and Anas, former Phantom Austin Cangelosi is the only other Phantom to score 50 goals in a career.

THE NHL COMES CALLING: Three players with Youngstown ties were chosen in last June's NHL Draft- Max Letunov, JJ Piccinich and Nathan Walker. Letunov was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round with the 52nd overall se- lection, making him the second-highest NHL Draft selection in Youngstown Phantoms history (Scott Mayfield, 2nd RD, #34 Overall to NYI in 2011). Next up was Walker, who was selected in the third round (89th overall) by the Washington Capitals. He suited up for the Phantoms during the 2012-2013 season, and last September signed a professional contract with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), making him the first Phantoms player to make the jump from the USHL to the AHL. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Walker is the first Australian-born player to be selected in the NHL Draft. The Final Phan- tom taken off the board was Piccinich who was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round with the 103rd overall pick. Currently a freshman at Boston University, Piccinich just wrapped up a two-year USHL career in which he totaled 30 goals and 43 assists in 123 games played.


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