Phantoms Break Out the Brooms on Bandits
Published on November 15, 2008 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
YOUNGSTOWN, OH - The Mahoning Valley Phantoms built a big early lead and stifled the high-flying St. Louis Bandits down the stretch, completing the sweep of the defending Robertson Cup champions with a 3-1 win Saturday night.
The Phantoms were plagued by late mishaps the night before in a 4-3 overtime win, but shut down Bandits high-octane offense in the last ten minutes on Saturday to preserve their 11th win of the 2008-2009 campaign.
Phantoms Head Coach and General Manager Bob Mainhardt said it was his team's best effort to date.
"We played sixty hard minutes," said Mainhardt. "The best sixty we've played to date. We're definitely moving in the right direction."
Jordan Tibbett stymied 20 of 21 Bandits shots over the course of the game, and improved his season record to 8-2-0.
Tibbett said he was pretty happy about sweeping the team that had beaten the Phantoms the past two years in the Robertson Cup Finals to open the Chevrolet Centre.
"I can't imagine a better team to beat to open our new barn," said Tibbett, who made critical saves in the final 1:32 to maintain the final margin. "It feels great."
Mainhardt praised Tibbett's play on Saturday night.
"They say your best penalty killer and your best defenseman should be your goalie," said Mainhardt, "and Jordan was definitely that tonight."
The Phantoms' defense, playing shorthanded after a second period injury to assistant captain Robert Harrison, limited to Bandits to mostly outside shots in the third period as they tried to muster a comeback.
The Phantoms, meanwhile, peppered Bandits starting goalie Erick Cinotti, scoring three times in the first 24 minutes to build a 3-0 lead. Brandon Saad and Cole Schneider each scored in the last 1:31 of the first period, and Christian Long followed suit with his second of the year 3:11 into the second.
After Long's goal, Cinotti, whose record drops to 6-1-1 on the season, was pulled in favor of Keith Kinkaid. Kinkaid stopped all 19 Phantom shots he faced.
Clinton Bourbonais got his second goal in as many nights on the power play with 11:09 remaining in regulation, cutting the lead to 3-1. The Bandits, however, would draw no closer as a swarming Phantoms defense blocked shots and cleared rebounds in front of Tibbett the rest of the way.
With the win, the Phantoms (11-4-2, 24 pts) pull to within four points of North Division-leading Traverse City (13-3-2, 28 pts), who lost 2-1 in overtime at Marquette on Saturday night.
The Phantoms return to action next Friday night as the host Team USA at the Chevrolet Centre. The North Division matchup is slated for a 7:15 puck drop in downtown Youngstown.
The game can be heard locally on the broadcast home of the Phantoms, ESPN Radio 1240, WBBW, and worldwide at MVPPhantoms.com via B2 Networks. The pregame show will begin at 7:00 PM.
Season tickets and individual game tickets are on sale now at the Phantom Box Office at the Ice Zone in Boardman. Call (330) 965-7500 for more information.
The Mahoning Valley Phantoms are owned by the B.J. Alan Company - Phantom Fireworks, located in Youngstown, Ohio.
North American Hockey League Stories from November 15, 2008
- Phantoms Break Out the Brooms on Bandits - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- Stars tripped in OT again - Traverse City North Stars
- Jr. Blues Win First of Two Vs. Second-Place North Iowa - Springfield Jr. Blues
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