Fargo wins 4-2 over Phantoms
January 8, 2010 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Chase Grant's second-period shorthanded goal gave the visiting Fargo Force a lead they would not relinquish as they earned their seventh win in a row, 4-2 over the Youngstown Phantoms Friday night at the Covelli Centre.
Grant added an assist later in the middle frame for a two-point night, and Garrett Allen, Corey Leivermann and Nate Condon netted goals for Fargo (21-9-1, 43 points). The Force, who represented the West Division in last spring's Clark Cup Final, are 8-0-1 since Dec. 11 and have won 17 of their last 22 to climb within four points of West-leading Omaha.
The Phantoms (13-15-2, 28 points), despite goals from Tom Serratore and Brett Gensler, dropped their fourth-consecutive game, a season high, and still trail fourth-place Chicago by two points in the East Division. They will try to grab their third win against Fargo Saturday night; Youngstown swept the Force in a two-game series in Fargo, N.D., to conclude October.
Serratore hopped on the rebound of Adam Berkle's right-wing wrister to put the Phantoms on top just 4:28 into the game. Serratore's 10th of the season and fifth in his last seven games put Youngstown in a favorable position - the Phantoms had a 7-2-1 record when scoring first.
Fargo drew even before the period ended, however. Allen had a Nick Oliver shot deflect off his body and in behind Phantoms goalie Jordan Tibbett, who made 27 saves in his sixth start in seven games.
Grant's go-ahead marker came when the Fargo captain capitalized on a Phantoms' turnover in their own zone while they tried to rev up their third power play of the night. Grant broke in alone on Tibbett and dumped a backhander through his legs at 5:23 of the second to make it 2-1.
It quickly became 3-1 when Leivermann deposited the rebound of Colten St. Clair's left-circle shot at 8:33, immediately following St. Clair's faceoff win. Fargo came within 1:33 of carrying that two-goal margin into the third, but Gensler's stuff from inside the crease, his 11th, cut the lead to 3-2 late in the middle stanza.
Condon's team-leading 16th put the home side right back in the same hole, as he was set up inside the left circle by Chad Demers' blind centering pass 2:21 into the third. Fargo outshot the Phantoms 7-4 in the final frame and 31-27 overall as Force netminder Ryan Massa improved his record to 9-1-0.
Join the Phantoms Saturday in honoring our local police officers and firefighters on Local Super Heroes Night. Come early for a "Guns & Hoses" game pitting Youngstown's Finest vs. Youngstown's Bravest at 5 p.m., then stay for the Phantoms' matchup with the defending West Division champion Fargo Force.
United States Hockey League Stories from January 8, 2010
- Heat Up at Home - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Lancers win over Stars - Omaha Lancers
- Buccaneers earn 5-3 victory over Chicago - Des Moines Buccaneers
- U.S. Nat'l U18 Team Falls to Green Bay, 3-1 - U.S. National Team
- U.S. Nat'l U17 Team Falls to Waterloo, 3-0 - U.S. National Team
- Fargo wins 4-2 over Phantoms - Youngstown Phantoms
- Six Lancers chosen to represent Omaha in 2010 USHL All-Star Game - Omaha Lancers
- Storm's Schwartz & Illo Are Named USHL All-Stars - Tri-City Storm
- Four Stampede Players Named To USHL All-Star Game - Sioux Falls Stampede
- USHL Names 2010 All-Star Rosters - USHL
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