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USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Game Notes: vs. Cedar Rapids

January 23, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN PHANTOMS GAME NOTES

The Phantoms hit the road for a meeting with the League-leading Cedar Rapids RoughRiders this week- end. The Phantoms dropped a pair of games to the expansion Madison Capitols last weekend, suffer- ing their first shutout loss of the season in a 4-0 loss on Friday, before dropping a 5-3 decision on Sat- urday. With the two losses, Youngstown is now in fifth place in the USHL's Eastern Conference.

LAST SATURDAY RECAP: On Saturday, The Capitols came out firing on all cylinders in the opening period, getting goals from Hunter Luhmann, and Guillaume Leclerc, and a shorthanded tally from Gerard to put the Capitols up, 3-0, after 20 minutes.

Much like Friday night, the Phantoms received a number of quality scoring opportunities, and man- aged to get on the board for the first time on the weekend, 4:27 into the second period, when forward Trey Bradley fed Winkler from behind the net, and Winkler blasted home a slapshot past Madi- son netminder Darren Smith, cutting the Phantoms' deficit to 3-1.

The momentum was short lived, as a shot from Tyler Nanne beat Birdsall, pushing the Capitols' lead back to three goals, 4-1, after two periods.

The Phantoms picked up the play early in the third and cut the Madison lead in half 5:39 into the frame, when defenseman Matt Miller launched a shot the was kicked out by Smith and deflected off forward Kyle Connor right to Lemos who buried the rebound, cutting the Madison lead to 4-2.

After an empty netter from Mitch Hults put Madison up 5-2 at 18:34 of the third, the Phantoms found the back of the net again, as with the goalie pulled, Connor took a shot that was kicked out by Smith right to Letunov who was driving the net, and he slipped it in past Smith, pulling the Phantoms to with- in two goals, 5-3.

The Phantoms got a couple more good looks on net in the waning seconds of the period, but they were not able to find the back of the net, and the Capitols held on for a 5-3 win.

PREVIEWING CEDAR RAPIDS: The RoughRiders have the best record in the USHL, accumulat- ing a 26-8-0 mark through 34 games this season. They opened up the season with a 13-1-0 mark, and are currently on a five-game winning streak, outscoring their opponents, 21-13 in that span. They are led by a trio of 30-point scorers in Jiri Fronk (22g, 17a), Andrew Oglevie (11g, 24a), and Erik Foley (16g, 14a), and they also currently boast the League's best offense, averaging 3.91 goal per game. In goal, Cedar Rapids ices two of the top six netminders in the league in Ryan Larkin (10-3-0, 2.13 GAA, .924 SV%), and Ben Blacker (16-5-0, 2.46 GAA, .924 SV%).

SOMETHING YOU DON'T SEE EVERYDAY: Last Friday marked the first time the season the Phantoms were shutout. It's a feat that only happened twice last season, and is just the second time in team history that the Phantoms have been shutout by more than three goals.

OFF THE SCHNEID: Forward Max Letunov snapped his season-long seven-game goal drought with a goal in last Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Madison Capitols. Letunov is the team leader in points, accounting for 14 goals and 24 assists through 33 games played, and has only failed to find the scoresheet on nine occasions this season.

LIGHTING THE LAMP: Forward Bryan Lemos scored his seventh goal in his last nine games in last Saturday's 5-3 loss to Madison. He is currently fifth on the team in scoring, accounting for 11 goals and 16 assists in 32 games played.

SETTLING IN: Forward James Winkler found the back of the net for the seventh time this sea- son in last Saturday's 5-3 loss to Madison. Winkler has been a staple in the Phantoms' line up since mid-November, and has gone more than three games without a point on just two occasions this sea- son.

KIEF 'EM COMING: Forward Kiefer Sherwood scored his seventh goal in a six game span in the 4-2 win over the Green Bay Gamblers back on January 10th. He scored his 10th power play mark- er of the season in a 3-2 win over the Gamblers the night before, which is good for second in the league. Sherwood is the team leader in goals with 17.

Game 34: Youngstown vs Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Friday, January 23, 2015

Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, Cedar Rapids, IA-8:05 pm

YNG: 17-11-5, 39 PTS-5th Place (East)

CR: 26-8-0, 52 PTS-1st Place (East)

PHANTOMS STEAL THE SHOW: The Phantoms were the main topic of conversation at Tuesday's USHL/NHL Top Pro- spects Game in Dubuque, IA, as the first three goals of the game were scored by Youngstown Phantoms. Forward Kevin Conley had a pair of first period goals and an assist, while forward Chase Pearson tallied a first period goal of his own and also dished out an assist, helping Team East to a 7-4 win. For his efforts, Conley was named Team East Most Valuable Player. It did not stop there, as midway through the second period, goaltender Chris Birdsall came into the game for Team West and proceeded to stop all nine shots he faced. Despite being held off the scoresheet, the Phantoms' other two representatives, forward Kyle Connor and defenseman Kris MyllarI, each finished with a plus-one on-ice rating.

A LONG TIME COMING: Forward Chase Pearson scored in the 4-2 win over the Green Bay Gamblers back on January 10th, marking his fifth goal on the season, and his first since a two-goal game back on November 5th in a 9-3 win over the Blooming- ton Thunder; a span of 19 games. He has added 10 assists to go along with his five goals on the year, giving him 15 total points.

THE CAPTAIN COMMITS: Team captain Ryan Lomberg recently committed to play college hockey at Miami University. The former University of Maine Black Bear will have two years of eligibility remaining. He becomes the 16 th Phantom from this year's team to commit to an NCAA school.

Lomberg is currently second on the team with 16 goals, and is sixth with 25 points. Prior to Maine, the Richmond Hill, ONT native suited up for the Muskegon Lumberjacks during the 2011-2012 season, where he led the team with 40 points (22g, 18a).

YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST: Defenseman Carson Vance's game-winner in last Friday's 4-3 win over Chicago marked the first goal of his USHL career. Through 28 career USHL games, the Tempe, AZ native has a goal a four assists.

WELL AREN'T YOU SPECIAL: The Phantoms special teams units have been amongst the best in the USHL all season long. The Phantoms currently boast the fourth-ranked power play in the League, converting on 23.7% of their chances (37/156).

Kiefer Sherwood is currently second in the League with 10 power play markers on the year. The penalty kill has been just as solid, ranking tops in the USHL, killing off 112/127 opposition power plays (88.1%), while scoring six goals. In the Phan- toms' sweep of the Bloomington Thunder on October 24th & 25th, nine of the team's 11 goals on the weekend were of the spe- cial teams variety; six on the power play and three shorthanded. Overall, 18 different players have recorded at least one special teams point this season.

LEAGUE LEADERS: The Phantoms amongst the leaders in the USHL in many offensive categories, including goals (126) assists (207), points (333), power play goals (37), and shorthanded goals (6). Currently, the Phantoms are second in the League in scoring, averaging 3.81 goals per game.

COMEBACK KIDS: The 3-2 shootout loss to Tri-City on December 13th marked the fifth time this season that the Phantoms had to mount a third period comeback to force overtime. Third period goals from defenseman Matt Miller and forward Josh Melnick sent the game into overtime, before the Phantoms ultimately fell in a shootout. Back on November 29th against the Muskegon Lumberjacks, Max Letunov scored late in the third period to force overtime, with the Phantoms falling in a shootout as well. In November 14th's shootout win against Lincoln, Kiefer Sherwood scored late in the third to force overtime, and on November 16th against the Stars, Josh Nenadal tied the game five minutes into the third, before Lincoln picked up the win in overtime. The Phantoms have gone to overtime or a shootout eight times this season, compiling a 3-5 record in those games, including a pair of shootout wins.

ALL-TIME LEADER: With his goal in November 16th's 4-3 overtime loss to the Lincoln Stars, Kyle Connor became the Phan- toms' all-time goal-scoring leader, with the 55th goal of his career, surpassing Sam Anas' 54. Connor scored his 50th career goal back on October 11th, making him the 18th player in USHL history to reach the mark, and just the third player in League history to score 50 before his 18th birthday, joining former Waterloo Black Hawk Taylor Cammarata, and former Omaha Lancer Seth Ambroz. In addition to Connor and Anas, former Phantom Austin Cangelosi is the only other Phantom to score 50 goals in a career.

THE NHL COMES CALLING: Three players with Youngstown ties were chosen in last June's NHL Draft- Max Letunov, JJ Piccinich and Nathan Walker. Letunov was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round with the 52nd overall se- lection, making him the second-highest NHL Draft selection in Youngstown Phantoms history (Scott Mayfield, 2nd RD, #34 Overall to NYI in 2011). Next up was Walker, who was selected in the third round (89th overall) by the Washington Capitals. He suited up for the Phantoms during the 2012-2013 season, and last September signed a professional contract with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), making him the first Phantoms player to make the jump from the USHL to the AHL. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Walker is the first Australian-born player to be selected in the NHL Draft. The Final Phan- tom taken off the board was Piccinich who was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round with the 103rd overall pick. Currently a freshman at Boston University, Piccinich just wrapped up a two-year USHL career in which he totaled 30 goals and 43 assists in 123 games played.

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