Gamblers win over Phantoms
January 2, 2010 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release
GREEN BAY, Wisc. - Two-goal nights by Anders Lee and Chris Crane, plus a three-goal effort from their power play, lifted the Green Bay Gamblers to a 7-2 victory in an East Division clash with the Youngstown Phantoms Saturday night at the Resch Center.
The first-place Gamblers (20-6-3, 43 points) maintained their 10-point lead over the second-place Indiana Ice, while the Phantoms (13-13-2, 28 points) remained tied with Chicago for fourth, pending the conclusion of the Steel's game with Lincoln. These two clubs will meet again in less than 24 hours for a 1:05 Eastern time faceoff from Green Bay.
Dave Donnellan and Andrew Lamont both scored for Youngstown, the second of which drew the Phantoms within 3-2 late in the third, but four consecutive goals by the Gamblers put the finishing touches on the contest. Green Bay launched 51 shots at Youngstown goalie Matt Mahalak, a season-high for a Phantoms opponent on the season.
Green Bay is now 14-0-0 when scoring first, and the Gamblers put themselves in that familiar position when they lit the lamp twice in the opening 3:31. Ryan Furne got the Gamblers rolling at 2:48 when his power-play wrister from the left dot found twine over Mahalak's glove hand.
Less than a minute later, the Gamblers generated their second goal from behind the Youngstown net. Ryan Arnold centered for Travis Lynch, who hit the outside of the net with his quick one-timer. The puck stopped at the side of the left post, where Crane had an open net to shoot at.
Dave Donnellan cut the Gamblers' advantage in half with a long-range power-play marker, the third of the season for the Wisconsin-born defenseman, at 9:15 of the opening stanza.
Patrick McCadden would answer back for the home side at 8:42 of the second, blasting a slapper from the left circle, but when Youngstown's Lamont whistled his fifth of the year past Green Bay goalie Steve Summerhays' glove hand with 4:33 left before the second intermission, a healthy dose of intrigue was injected into the proceedings.
Green Bay proved to have the antidote, though. Lee swept in his team-leading 14th past Mahalak from five feet away during a power play just 48 seconds after Lamont's goal. Crane added his second when he found himself alone in front less than two minutes later, giving the Gamblers three man-advantage markers in their first three chances. They would finish 3-for-6 on the evening.
Lee (8:30) and William Kessel (13:13) tacked on even-strength goals in the third to hand Youngstown its third-straight road defeat by four or more goals. The Phantoms are now 6-7-1 away from the Covelli Centre.
United States Hockey League Stories from January 2, 2010
- U.S. Advances to World Junior Championship Semifinals with 6-2 Win over Finland - U.S. National Team
- U.S. Nat'l U17 Team Tops Pacific, 2-1, at World U17 Challenge - U.S. National Team
- 4-goal 2nd period leads Force past Lancers - Omaha Lancers
- Hawks See Role Reversed - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Gamblers win over Phantoms - Youngstown Phantoms
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