Explosive Third Period Leads to Team-Record Seventh Consecutive Win
February 21, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release
GREEN BAY, WI- The Youngstown Phantoms (26-13-5) collected a 5-1 win over the Green Bay Gamblers on Saturday night. Forward Matt Alvaro scored a pair of goals, while forwards Kiefer Sherwood, Kyle Connor, and James Winkler each chipped in one. The win pushes the Phantoms' win streak to seven games, which is a new team-record for consecutive wins. The win also gives Youngstown sole possession of second place in the USHL's Eastern Conference.
Green Bay came out physical in the opening period, laying a number of big hits on the Phantoms. Despite the physicality of the Gamblers, the Phantoms still received a number of quality scoring opportunities, however they were not able to find the back of the net, and the two sides went into the locker room scoreless after 20 minutes.
In the second, the Phantoms picked up the physical play, and laid a number of big checks of their own. Youngstown also continued to get the majority of the scoring opportunities, however were not able to find the back of the net, and the game remained scoreless through two periods.
The Phantoms' offense came to life in the third, as just 1:44 in, Sherwood came streaking down the right wing into the offensive zone where he skated around the net and banked the puck off of Green Bay goaltender Jason Pawloski into the net, putting the Phantoms up, 1-0.
That lead became 2-0 roughly two minutes later while on the power play, when Sherwood sent a pass to Connor who ripped it off the post and in past Pawloski, 3:51 into the third.
The Phantoms offense continued to click, as just 22 seconds later, forward Lukas Craggs took a shot that was initially turned aside by Pawloski, however Winkler was right there to stuff home the rebound, putting the Phantoms up, 3-0.
"We knew we were playing our game and out-working them," said Winkler. "We knew the goals were going to come, and we just had to keep working and keep at it."
After a power play goal from Green Bay's Sam Miletic cut Youngstown's lead to 3-1, the Phantoms struck again when Alvaro crashed the net and jammed a loose puck past new Green Bay netminder Kevin Reich, extending the lead to 4-1 in favor of Youngstown, 8:56 into the frame.
Alvaro was not finished, as with just over six minutes left while shorthanded, forward Josh Nenadal poked the puck off of a Gamblers' stick, and Alvaro skated in all alone and beat Reich, capping the 5-1 win for the Phantoms.
"It felt good to get those two," remarked Alvaro. "The boys were rolling, and even though it was 0-0 going into the third, we weren't too worried because we were pretty happy with the way we were playing up to that point, and eventually we just blew it wide open in the third period."
"We felt like it was coming, and I thought we got better as the game went on," stated Phantoms Head Coach Anthony Noreen. "What we really liked in the third is that we moved the puck and got to some of those hard and dirty areas, and that's what we had to do. It was hard ice out there, and nothing was easy to come by. We knew it was going to take those type of goals to get it done today."
The Phantoms outshot Green Bay, 36-17, on the evening, while the power play converted on one-of-five chances. Youngstown wraps up their three-game road trip on Sunday afternoon against the Gamblers at 4:05pm ET.
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