Phantoms Notebook: Week No. 21
February 12, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Youngstown Phantoms got back on the winning track last weekend, picking up their first victory of the season against the Green Bay Gamblers Friday at the Covelli Centre and then following up Sunday with a road win over the Indiana Ice in a shootout. The Phantoms (22-19-0, 44 points) are back in Indy Thursday for their seventh meeting with the Ice (16-26-4, 36 points) this season before heading north to take on the rival Muskegon Lumberjacks Saturday.
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Game No. 40: Phantoms Come Up Big In 3rd, Down Gamblers 5-2
The Phantoms entered the third period trailing 2-1 to the Gamblers (25-14-3, 53 points), but John Padulo tied it five minutes in and Sam Anas put them in front 10 minutes later. Then Green Bay was awarded back-to-back power plays in the final five minutes, but the Youngstown was able to kill both off and added empty net goals from Josh Nenadal and Anas secure a 5-2 win. Goaltender Sean Romeo turned away 25 shots on the evening. Cam Brown also scored and Nathan Walker chipped in with a pair of assists as the Phantoms handed the Gamblers just their seventh loss in their past 32 games.
Game No. 41: Phantoms Edge Past Ice 3-2 In Shootout
The Phantoms made the most of limited chances Sunday securing two vital points in the standings with a 3-2 shootout win over the Ice (16-26-4, 36 points). Indiana racked up 40 shots, but Romeo was the difference, turning away all but two of them through three periods and overtime and then denying both skaters in the shootout. Dan Renouf and Alexander Dahl scored in regulation while Anas and Kyle Connor capitalized in the skills competition to propel the Phantoms to their fifth win in six meetings with Indiana this season. In a contest that hinged on special teams play, the Youngstown penalty kill was staunch and Romeo, who picked up his 18th win of the campaign, was stellar as the last line of defense.
LOOSE PUCKS
-- Right wing Sam Anas showed off his slick stickhandling skills beating Ice goaltender Dalton Izyk in Sunday's shootout. The Quinnipiac commit is 3-for-3 for shootout this season and 5-for-8 in his Phantoms career.
-- After playing just having just one game go to overtime in their first 33 contests, the Phantoms have had three games go to a shootout over their last eight games. They are 1-0 in overtime and 3-0 in shootouts this season.
-- Defenseman Dan Renouf scored his second short-handed goal of the season Sunday to move into a tie with Austin Cangelosi for the team lead. The Maine recruit is the lone defenseman in the USHL with multiple short-handed tallies and has three total in his career.
-- Heading into the weekend, the Phantoms have won nine of their past 12 games and are a combined 8-2-0 vs. Muskegon and Indiana, their opponents this weekend.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Game No. 42: Thursday, Feb. 14 at 7:15 p.m. EST - Phantoms at Indiana
Thursday is Valentine's Day and the Phantoms have a date with the Ice at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Despite trading away their top three scorers leading up to the USHL trade deadline last Wednesday, Indiana went down to the wire with Youngstown Sunday - and nearly doubled up in the shot department with a 40-22 edge. Russian forward Mikhail Plotnikov, the Ice's leading scorer after the deadline dump, scored with less than three minutes remaining to force overtime and tallied a game-high seven shots. After a pair of tough performances in his first two starts against Youngstown this season, surrendering a combined 11 goals, Dalton Iyzk has allowed just five goals with a 2.40 goals against average in the past two meetings.
Game No. 43: Saturday, Feb. 16 at 7:15 p.m. EST - Phantoms at Muskegon
The fourth-place Phantoms take on the second-place Lumberjacks (24-14-8, 56 points) Saturday at L.C. Walker Arena. The "Jacks were buyers at last week's trade deadline adding forwards Christian Heil and Jeff Kubiak from Chicago and Brian Morgan from Indiana. Through two games, the deals appear to have paid off as Muskegon won both by a combined 6-1 margin. The Phantoms however, have had the edge in the season series winning three of four meetings including both trips to Muskegon. Youngstown defenseman Ryan Lowney, a Michigan native, has had the team his home state's number with four goals, three assists and seven points in those four contests.
THEY SAID IT
"That's probably the most amount of adversity we've faced in the last five minutes of a game. You get a penalty and kill it off against the league's best power play and immediately go on the kill again. In the meantime your leading two minute-getters are in the box and some guys who haven't killed penalties in a long time have to go out there and do it. But our PK didn't miss a beat."
-- Head coach Anthony Noreen on the final minutes of last Friday's win over Green Bay.
PHANTOMS LEADERS
Points: Austin Cangelosi (11-29-40)
Goals: Sam Anas (22)
Assists: Cangeolsi (29)
Power-Play Goals: Anas (5, T-fifth in USHL)
Short-Handed Goals: Cangelosi, Dan Renouf (2, T-fifth in USHL)
Plus/Minus: Renouf (plus-21)
Penalty Minutes: Markus McCrea (114)
Points by a Defenseman: Ryan Lowney (6-21-27, T-fourth in USHL)
Wins: Sean Romeo (18, T-fourth in USHL)
Goals Against Average: Romeo (2.92)
Save Percentage: Romeo (.905)
Shutouts: Romeo (4, second in USHL)
PHANTOMS ALUMNI WATCH
-- Chicago Blackhawks rookie forward Brandon Saad (Mahoning Valley Phantoms, 2008-9) scored his first NHL goal last Tuesday. He is the first alumnus of the Phantoms organization to record a goal in the NHL.
-- After scoring a pair of goals in 4-1 win over Harvard in the Beanpot semifinals, Boston College forward Quinn Smith (2010-11) notched an assist in the final Monday night as the No. 4 Eagles defeated Northeastern 6-3. It's the fourth straight Beanpot win for BC and second for Smith.
-- Penn State forward Taylor Holstrom (2009-10) racked up three assists over the weekend as the Nittany Lions swept Alabama-Huntsville, winning 4-0 Friday and 4-3 Saturday.
-- Bemidji State forward Danny Mattson (2010-11) shined with a goal and an assist last weekend, but the Beavers struggled tying Wisconsin 2-2 Friday and falling 3-2 the following night. Badger forward Jefferson Dahl (2009-10) added an assist as well Friday.
-- Princeton forward Mike Ambrosia (2010-12) and Jonathan Liau (2011-12) both found the back of the net Friday as the Tigers downed Ivy League rival Colgate 4-2 Friday.
-- Quinnipiac forward Soren Jonzzon (2011-12) scored his first collegiate goal Saturday as the newly christened No. 1 Bobcats shut out Colgate 2-0.
-- Minnesota State forward Dylan Margonari (2010-12) tallied a goal as No. 10 Mavericks beat Minnesota Duluth 4-2 Friday.
-- Denver forward Ty Loney (2010-11) scored as the No. 11 Pioneers fell in a 6-5 barnburner with Colorado College Saturday.
-- Bentley forward Brett Gensler (2009-10) notched his 13th goal of the season in a losing effort as the Falcons dropped a contest with Connecticut 4-1 Saturday.
Phantoms Flex Packages are on sale now starting at the low price of just $75. Flex Packages include 10 undated ticket vouchers that can be redeemed at any game and in any increment throughout the rest of the season. Call 330.747.PUCK (7825) for more information or to reserve a Phantoms Flex Package 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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