Game Tonight: Phantoms Roll into Town for First of Two
March 17, 2017 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Game #53
Lancers vs. Phantoms
Ralston Arena
-7:05 pm- Omaha hosts Youngstown for the first of back-to-back meetings Friday night at Ralston Arena.
Last Year:
Omaha and Youngstown meet for the first time in the 2016-17 season on Friday night at Ralston Arena. It has been just shy of a year since the last time the Lancers and Phantoms faced off at the Covelli Center. The Phantoms swept both parts of the two game series.
Both nights the Lancers surrendered at least the first three goals before finding the back of the net. Three goals was the margin of victory in both games for the Phantoms. Youngstown has won each of the last three meetings between the teams dating back to March 27, 2015 when the Lancers topped the Phantoms 4-2 at Ralston Arena.
Scouting the Phantoms:
Youngstown heads into the weekend five points ahead of Green Bay for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Phantoms are coming off three consecutive weekends where they split the two-game weekend series with their opponent. Youngstown's last weekend sweep came against Bloomington on February 9 and 10.
The Phantoms boast the USHL's second best defense allowing only 2.24 goals per game. Netminder Ivan Kambako, who's appeared in 44 of the Phantoms 51 games, is second in the league in goals-against (1.96), and is sixth in save percentage (.918). The netminder is also fourth in the league with 25 wins. Despite having only appeared in five games this season, making him ineligible to be considered a league leader, back-up Britt League has provided similar numbers for the Phantoms recording a goals against average of 1.67 to go along with a .932 save percentage.
Offensively the Phantoms are led by Nicholas Warbeck (17 g, 19a) with 36 points. Former Lancer Pierce Crawford is second on the team with 32 points, despite only recording four points in eight games with Youngstown. Austin Pooley leads all Youngstown scorers with 18 goals this season.
Old Friends:
Forwards Pierce Crawford and Noah LaLonde will face off for the first time since being swapped for each other four weeks ago. Crawford, an alternate captain this season with the Lancers, recorded 28 points (14g, 14a) in 41 games prior to the trade. Since being traded Crawford has tallied one goal and three assists for the Phantoms.
LaLonde, who played parts of two seasons with the Phantoms, appeared in 76 games notching 24 points (8g, 16a).
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