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USHL Waterloo Black Hawks

Phantoms Bombard Hawks, 10-4

February 29, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release


The Youngstown Phantoms overwhelmed the Waterloo Black Hawks 10-4 Thursday morning at the Covelli Center.

The Phantoms broke the game open with four goals in the second period, then added four more in the third. Ryan Botterill recorded a hat trick. Youngstown scored on both of their power plays, then added shorthanded goals on Waterloo's only two power plays.

It was the Hawks' opening game during a three-day eastern trip. The last time Waterloo allowed 10 goals, the score was the same; on November 26, 2014, the Hawks fell in Omaha on the night before Thanksgiving.

Thursday, each team had a lead during a back-and-forth first period. Grady Deering got the Hawks started with a low shot 30 seconds into the game. Griffin Erdman had taken away a Youngstown clearing attempt and set up Deering between the circles one-on-one against Aiden Wright. However, the Phantoms tied the score just over a minute later when Zach Morin was waiting at the top of the crease for a feed out of the right corner.

Youngstown went ahead during a power play at 16:25. Like the first goal, they moved the puck from right to left before Botterill fired his chance in off the post.

With exactly a minute remaining before intermission, John Mustard tied the score. Mustard collected the puck in his own zone, then rushed up ice to zing in a wrister from the edge of the right circle.

The Phantoms' second period blitz started early. Daniel Jencko produced the first goal of the period from the left dot at 1:49 on a drop pass by Charlie Cerrato. Botterill added to the lead at 10:35, scoring from the top of the crease on Conner de Haro's setup.

Nick Fascia drew a goal back almost three minutes later, hitting the top corner of the Youngstown net from the left point.

However, the Phantoms notched two in the final five minutes before intermission. Botterill completed his hat trick on the rush at 15:48. Ryan Rucinski capped the period by firing a power play goal into an open side when Jencko's pass made it to him across the low slot.

By the third, all the bounces were going against the Hawks. At 1:33, a Waterloo dump-in ricochetted the other direction, leading to a two-on-one score by Cerrato.

Then at 7:44, Adam Pietila won a race to a loose puck at center, creating a breakaway shorthanded goal. Hunter Ramos would also score shorthanded after a takeaway at 15:38. In between, Chris Battaini tallied the Hawks' last goal, thanks to a quick shot off Connor Brown's faceoff win at 11:04.

Michael Burchill made it 10 for Youngstown after a Hawks turnover with 2:25 to go.

The Black Hawks' trip continues as March begins; Waterloo meets the National Team Development Program Under-18s on Friday at 6 p.m. Central in Plymouth, Michigan.

Waterloo 2 1 1 - 4

Youngstown 2 4 4 - 10

1st Period-1, Waterloo, Deering 10 (Erdman), 0:30. 2, Youngstown, Morin 7 (Ranallo, Voronin), 1:33. 3, Youngstown, Botterill 18 (Strathmann, Young), 16:25 (PP). 4, Waterloo, Mustard 23 (Townsend), 19:00. Penalties-Erdman Wat (tripping), 16:02.

2nd Period-5, Youngstown, Jencko 9 (Cerrato), 1:49. 6, Youngstown, Botterill 19 (de Haro, Young), 10:35. 7, Waterloo, Fascia 4 13:23. 8, Youngstown, Botterill 20 (Ramos, Osburn), 15:47. 9, Youngstown, Rucinski 6 (Jencko, Osburn), 18:45 (PP). Penalties-Mustard Wat (cross checking), 17:29.

3rd Period-10, Youngstown, Cerrato 8 (Pietila), 1:33. 11, Youngstown, Pietila 21 7:44 (SH). 12, Waterloo, Battaini 2 (Brown), 11:04. 13, Youngstown, Ramos 6 15:38 (SH). 14, Youngstown, Burchill 11 17:35. Penalties-Hanrahan Yng (tripping), 5:45; Pietila Yng (slashing), 13:54.

Shots on Goal-Waterloo 9-5-12-26. Youngstown 14-16-8-38.

Power Play Opportunities-Waterloo 0 / 2; Youngstown 2 / 2.

Goalies-Waterloo, Spicer 10-10-0-1 (38 shots-28 saves). Youngstown, Wright 7-1-0-1 (26 shots-22 saves).

A-5,201

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 29, 2024


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