USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantom Philes: Busy February Ahead

Published on February 1, 2010 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - These are the Phantom Philes, a weekly comprehensive look at Youngstown's very own stop on the road to the National Hockey League.

Now that the calendar has flipped to February, the United States Hockey League regular season has reached its final two months. On Wednesday morning, the Youngstown Phantoms will enter the final 60 days of their inaugural USHL slate, and with the arrival of 2010's second month comes the busiest portion of the campaign.

Each of the first three months of the schedule - October, November and December - contained exactly nine games apiece and no more than three games per week. January saw 10 contests squeezed into its 31 days, but the arrival of February takes game frequency to another level.

Over the following 28 days, the Phantoms will take the ice 12 times, including a stretch of six games in nine nights from Feb. 12-20. Currently, Youngstown is in the midst of the first of two four-game weeks during February after its Sunday afternoon loss to Sioux Falls closed out January.

The Phantoms (14-21-2, 30 points) only claimed one victory during the previous month - a 7-3 home decision over Team USA Jan. 18 - but the first-year franchise still stands just six points short of the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division held by the Waterloo Black Hawks, although the fifth-place Chicago Steel are one point behind them with 35.

With three tilts remaining on the ongoing five-game homestand, the time is ripe for the Phantoms to make a move up the East standings. Seven times this month Youngstown will face a divisional rival, including all three games this week at Covelli Centre.

The February fun begins Wednesday at 10 a.m. as the defending Clark Cup champion Indiana Ice invade Youngstown. The third-place Ice (21-15-2, 44 points) are 2-1 against the Phantoms this season, and the road team has won all three matchups.

Following the clash with Indiana, Waterloo (17-18-2, 36 points) soars to town for a classic Friday-Saturday two-game series. The Phantoms earned their last victory of 2009 against the Hawks, 4-3 on Dec. 29 on D Scott Mayfield's third-period game winner; Waterloo struck back Jan. 22 with a 3-2 win at Young Arena.

PHANTOMS GAMES THIS WEEK...

Wednesday at 10 a.m. vs. INDIANA - Hockey for Health School Day

Friday at 7:15 p.m. vs. WATERLOO - College/Military ID Night & Bargain Beer Night / Bring your college or military ID to Covelli Centre and receive a $4 ticket to the evening's game! Enjoy $1 brews all night long as the Phantoms host divisional rival Waterloo. Also, bring five or more non-perishable food items and receive a half-priced ticket; the food drive benefits Big Reach.

Saturday at 7:15 p.m. vs. WATERLOO - Star Wars Night & Scout Night / Meet and take pictures with your favorite Star Wars characters, including Darth Vader and C-3PO!

FOLLOW THE PHANTOMS ALL SEASON LONG!

Listen to Voice of the PhantomsMatt Gajtka describe exciting Phantoms hockey on Youngstown's ESPN 1240. Broadcasts begin approximately 15 minutes prior to opening faceoff. Phantoms fans outside the listening area can log onto www.wbbw.com and use ESPN 1240's streaming audio player, so there's no need to miss a second of the action.

"Phantoms Phever" is an hour-long weekly talk show that brings you an inside look at your Youngstown Phantoms. Gajtka sets up shop Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Jeremiah Bullfrog's Sports Bar & Grille on US Route 224 in Boardman, chatting with coaches, players and front office staff about northeast Ohio's most exciting team and the great sport of hockey. Catch "Phantoms Phever" on Youngstown's ESPN Radio 1240 AM and online at www.wbbw.com.

Also, make "Youngstown Phantoms" your friend on Facebook and follow "ytownphantoms" on Twitter to stay plugged into the Phantoms 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

RADIO REPLAYS, PRESS BOX OPINIONS AND MUCH MORE...

Relive heart-pounding Phantoms action on demand! Listen to all the best goal calls from the past week's worth of games and get Gajtka's take on Youngstown's inaugural season in the USHL at the onlineVoice of the Phantoms blog at www.youngstownphantoms.com.

THE WEEK THAT WAS:

Friday, January 29: SIOUX FALLS 8, YOUNGSTOWN 1

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A five-goal first period helped the Sioux Falls Stampede bury the Youngstown Phantoms 8-1 Friday night at Covelli Centre.

Jacob Johnstone had two goals and an assist for the Stampede (20-8-8, 48 points), winners of five of their last seven. Goaltender Clay Witt, who blanked the Phantoms 3-0 in Sioux Falls Nov. 20, came within 2:22 of his second-consecutive shutout overall.

Luke Eibler's late power play goal, assisted by Adam Berkle, provided the Phantoms' only offense. Matt Mahalak took the loss between the pipes, allowing four goals on nine shots before being replaced by Jordan Tibbett, who stopped 14 of 18.

Youngstown (14-20-2, 30 points) will host Sioux Falls again Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. on Family Day. Any fan who was in attendance Friday will receive a half-priced ticket to Sunday's contest if they present their ticket stub. Further promotional details are below.

First period power-play goals by Johnstone and defenseman Conor Allen bookended even-strength markers by Michael Voran, Johnstone and Anthony Day, the last of which chased Mahalak 10:53 into the game. Mahalak, who claimed the Phantoms' most recent win Jan. 18 over Team USA, made his second-straight start.

Day (3:17) and Jamie Oleksiak (14:34) added two more for Sioux Falls in the second against Tibbett before Matt Zarbo pushed in the Stampede's third man-advantage goal of the game with 7:24 left in the third. Sioux Falls entered the night third in the USHL in power-play conversion rate.

Youngstown, which has dropped nine of its last 10, ended Witt's 121 minute, 44 second shutout streak on its sixth and final power play. Eibler gunned the puck through traffic from the left point, beating a screened Witt to the top-right corner of the goal for his eighth of the season to lead all Phantoms defensemen.

Go to http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid1048788 for full box score.

Sunday, January 31: SIOUX FALLS 8, YOUNGSTOWN 3

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Another eight-goal output by the Sioux Falls Stampede propelled them to a two-game weekend sweep of the Youngstown Phantoms, as they outpaced the home side 8-3 Sunday afternoon at Covelli Centre.

The Stampede (21-8-8, 50 points), winners of six of their last eight, got a goal and two assists from leading scorer Michael Voran and used a three-goal burst in the final 1:19 of the first period to seize control of the game. Sioux Falls is now 3-0 against Youngstown this season, with goaltender Clay Witt earning wins in all three while surrendering only four goals total.

Taylor Holstrom's 10th goal of the season, scored during four-on-four play 9:35 into the contest, got Youngstown (14-21-2, 30 points) on the scoreboard first, two days after they were set down 8-1 by Sioux Falls.Ryan Jasinsky and defenseman Scott Mayfield also tallied for the Phantoms, who finished January 1-9-0 and have lost 10 of 11 since a 4-3 home win Dec. 29 over Waterloo.

The Phantoms appeared poised to carry the lead into the first intermission, but Matt Lindblad's rebound was converted by Voran from the right edge of the crease at 18:41 to tie the game. Voran then set up Matt Zarbo at the right post for the Stampede's first lead 34 seconds later, soon followed by Matt Farris' fluke goal that fluttered in off Phantoms' defenseman Dave Donnellan's stick with 27 seconds left before the horn.

Although the three quick strikes were tallied within a span of 52 seconds, the fastest against Youngstown this season, the Phantoms reasserted themselves early in the second and their hard work paid off near the stanza's midpoint. Jefferson Dahl led a three-on-two rush from the left wing, dealing a dish to Jasinsky, who cut into the slot and beat Witt with a taut wrister under the crossbar to draw the Phantoms within 3-2 at 9:09.

But with the Phantoms seemingly on the verge of pulling even with Sioux Falls, Conor Allen pounded a loose puck from between the circles to push the visitors' lead back to two at 14:23. It became 5-2 when Lindblad added on during a power play with 1:26 left, his seventh point against Youngstown this season.

The Phantoms' comeback hopes were dashed 2:34 into the third as Clark Cristofoli hammered a slap shot past Mahalak's blocker from the top of the left circle. Sioux Falls' Josh Holmstrom piled on with a quick pair in less than four minutes to stretch the advantage out to 8-2, before Youngstown's Mayfield closed the scoring with a right-wing wrist shot with 8:46 to play.

Only eight penalties were called in the relatively docile affair, as opposed to 24 Friday night. Sioux Falls' second-ranked power play went 1-for-4 Sunday and was 4-for-12 over the weekend. Youngstown connected on one of 10 opportunities in the two games.

Go to http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid1048806 for full box score.

Check out the Youngstown Phantoms Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 1, 2010


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