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USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Countdown To Puck Drop: Phantoms Vs. Sioux City

March 11, 2010 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


Returning home from the season's longest road trip, the Youngstown Phantoms will play five of their last nine tilts at Covelli Centre, starting with Friday's matchup with the Sioux City Musketeers. Part of a stretch in which they play six games in a row against the West Division, the Phantoms will square off with Sioux City three times in the next two weeks. In the teams' only collision to date, the Musketeers eked out a 4-2 home win with a pair of late goals Nov. 21.

The Phantoms (16-32-3, 35 points / 7th in East) played one of their most entertaining games of the season Saturday in central Nebraska against Tri-City. Andrew Lamont and Brett Gensler scored in the final 3:10 to erase a 4-2 deficit and force overtime, but the Storm ultimately prevailed in a shootout. In addition to the late heroics, Czech defenseman Andrej Sustr scored his first goal of the campaign and Stuart Higgins connected on a shorthanded breakaway.

Although the Musketeers (20-23-7, 47 points / 5th in West) went unbeaten in three games last weekend (2-0-1), the Clark Cup Playoffs are still distant as they trail fourth-place Tri-City by nine points with 10 games to play. Stephan Vigier, Sioux City's top scorer with 35 points, ripped in two goals last weekend to help the Musketeers snap an 0-6-3 winless streak that began Feb. 6. 15-year-old Richard Zehnal, the USHL's youngest player, also netted a pair of tallies in his past three.

PHANTOM PHACTS

- Last Saturday's shootout loss at Tri-City was the Phantoms' first defeat beyond regulation since Nov. 27 vs. Lincoln. It also marked the first time since Nov. 14 that Youngstown came from behind after two periods to earn at least a point. Only Indiana and Waterloo, with two apiece, have fewer OT/SO losses than Youngstown's three; the Purple and Orange have played extra time just six times in 51 games, the lowest total in the USHL.

- Along with Sustr scoring his first goal of the season Saturday night, Ty Loney earned his first point, the only assist on Lamont's late tally (his first in 17 games) that jumpstarted Youngstown's comeback. Gensler, who had a 10-game goal drought of his own from Jan. 29 to Feb. 19, now has three in his last six contests to reclaim the Phantoms' goal-scoring lead with 15, two ahead of the Tom Serratore-Jefferson Dahl-Adam Berkle trio.

- In the only previous meeting between Youngstown and Sioux City on the season, the Phantoms came back from 2-0 down to tie the game on Luke Eibler's power-play goal at 12:19 of the third, only to watch the Musketeers strike back for a 4-2 win at Tyson Events Center. Netminder Matt Mahalak stopped 31 shots, but still picked up the loss in one of only two November road games for the first-year club.

MUSKETEER MINUTIAE

- For the second-straight weekend, Youngstown faces a team near the bottom of the USHL in goals scored. After skating against Tri-City's 11th-ranked offense (2.94 goals/game), the Phantoms face the second-lowest scoring squad in the league in the Musketeers (2.46). Only Lincoln's average output of 2.29 is lower, although Sioux City has deposited 13 goals over its past three, or 4.33 per game.

- As unaccustomed as the Phantoms are to the shootout, experiencing it just three times, the Musketeers are just the opposite, having acquired six of their 20 wins from the tiebreaker. Helping Sioux City to a 6-4 record in the shootout is defenseman Dan Ford, who leads all USHL players with five successful conversions. Pittsburgh-area goalie Matt Skoff has denied 27 of 34 opposition attempts in claiming four shootout wins.

- In their 4-2 win over the Phantoms Nov. 21, former Musketeer Billy Latta netted the game-winning goal late in the third and added a pair of assists as Sioux City won its fourth of six in a row. Latta was traded to Chicago along with Darik Angeli for Alex Krushelnyski Feb. 6; Angeli also had a goal vs. Youngstown, an empty netter. Musketeers netminder Willie Yanakeff earned the win Nov. 21, but was dealt to Waterloo for Nick Sorkin last month.

UPCOMING PHANTOMS GAMES (ALL TIMES EASTERN)

Friday at 7:15 p.m. vs. SIOUX CITY / Bargain Beer Night - Enjoy $1 beers all night long! Take advantage of the Phantoms' Family Four Pack offer: four tickets for just $20. Also, team logo folders will be given out to the first 500 kids through the gates.

Saturday at 7:15 p.m. vs. SIOUX CITY / Go Green at the Rink - Iceburgh, official mascot of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, will be available for photos and autographs! In addition, Phantoms fans who bring five aluminum beverage cans to Covelli Centre will receive a half-priced ticket. Bring in 12 cans and get five chances to win an aluminum Trek Lime Light bicycle; recycling drive and contest presented by Novelis.

Friday, March 19 at 8:05 p.m. @ OMAHA

Saturday, March 20 at 8:00 p.m. @ SIOUX CITY

CATCH PHANTOMS PHEVER!

"Phantoms Phever" is an hour-long weekly talk show that brings you an inside look at your Youngstown Phantoms. Join Voice of the Phantoms Matt Gajtka at Jeremiah Bullfrog's Sports Bar & Grille on US Route 224 in Boardman as he chats with coaches, players and front office staff about northeast Ohio's most exciting team and the great sport of hockey. Catch Phantoms Phever Tuesdays at 6 p.m. on Youngstown's ESPN Radio 1240 AM and online at www.wbbw.com!

FOLLOW THE PHANTOMS ALL SEASON LONG

ESPN 1240 is also the exclusive radio home for the Youngstown Phantoms! Gajtka has the call from all 60 Phantoms regular season games as they roll through their first-ever campaign in the Tier I United States Hockey League. Hockey nuts outside the listening area can log onto www.wbbw.com to utilize the "Listen Live" feature! Fans may also purchase the Phantoms season pass at www.b2tv.com to watch and listen via the B2 Networks' multimedia game broadcasts.

Also, make "Youngstown Phantoms" your friend on Facebook and follow "ytownphantoms" on Twitter to stay plugged into the Phantoms 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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United States Hockey League Stories from March 11, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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