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USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Kyle Connor Breaks All-Time Franchise Single Season Point Scoring Mark

March 22, 2014 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - The result did not go the way he would have wanted, but in Saturday night's loss to the Indiana Ice, Phantoms forward Kyle Connor made team history.

His third period goal (his second of the game) gave him 66 points in the 2013-14 campaign-breaking Mike Ambrosia's 65 points as the all-time Youngstown Phantoms single season record.

"I'm really humbled about it," said Connor after the game. "I couldn't have asked for a better group of teammates to play with."

Connor entered the contest one point shy of tying Ambrosia, who registered 18 goals and 47 assists for 65 points in 2011-12. He tied the mark with a goal in the second period, and broke it in the third. Following the record-breaking goal, Connor said that he was aware of the history he had just made.

"When I got back to the bench, JJ [Piccinich] said something," said the future Michigan Wolverine. "I realized it. It was a special feeling to share with those guys."

The tally came as part of a comeback attempt by the Phantoms, who got within one of Indiana in the third period following the record-breaking goal. Unfortunately for Youngstown, it was close as they could get, as the Ice bolstered their Anderson Cup chances with the victory.

Indiana took the lead in the first period through Timothy Shoup's blast from the point. It was the only tally of the opening 20 minutes. In the second, Maxim Letunov and Connor scored to give the Phantoms a 2-1 lead, but Brian Pinho recorded a natural hat trick over the final stretches of the frame, with his third coming at the 19:59 mark of the period.

"Immediate frustration, but honestly, the room was pretty good between the second and third," said Phantoms coach Anthony Noreen on his team's reaction following the period. "I thought we had a good focus, and credit our leaders, I thought there was a good tone in the room when we walked in to talk to the guys. I thought there was a lot of fight in us in the third right until the very last second."

The Phantoms played well in the third period, controlling the game for stretches against the Eastern Conference-leading Ice, but they could only get within one, falling by a 4-3 final.

Despite the loss, this game will go down in Phantoms lore because of Connor's record. Making it even more noteworthy was the fact that it was previously Ambrosia's record-a player who Noreen said "means everything" to the Phantoms.

"[Ambrosia] was as big of a part, if not the biggest part, of turning this organization around, through his character, the way he played, and the way he handled himself off of the ice," said Noreen, who gave Ambrosia the captain's "C" prior to the 2011-12 season. "If someone was going to pass him, I think Mike would be proud that it was a guy like Kyle to do it."

Connor added that he had met Ambrosia last year, and he had nothing but good things to say about the current Princeton Tiger.

"He came to visit and skate with us," said Connor. "I talked to him for a little bit. He's a really good guy."

With six games to go in the regular season, Connor figures to have plenty of time to extend his record. With each point he records from here on out, he will be reaching uncharted territory for any Phantom to come before him.

After the game, Noreen reflected on the fact that Connor's figures to spend next season in a Youngstown jersey as well, giving him a chance to become the most decorated player in team history.

"It didn't take long into last year of seeing him play as a 15-year-old to know that he was probably going to leave as the most special player this program has seen," said Noreen. "That goes beyond what he does on the ice-the way he carries himself, how determined he is to be a pro, and his will to win.

"The ability he has is second to none."

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