Phantoms' championship run begins Thursday
Published on April 3, 2007 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
BOARDMAN, Ohio - For the third consecutive year, the Mahoning Valley Phantoms are in the North American Hockey League's postseason. If the third time is to be a charm in their chase for the Robertson Cup, the Phantoms must utilize their home-ice advantage throughout the North Division playoffs.
The Ice Zone is home to the Phantoms' first two games of the best-of-five first-round series against the Marquette Rangers this Thursday and Friday. The opening face-off both nights is at 7:30 p.m.
The Phantoms regular season was the best in their four-year history and tops in the NAHL this season. They finished with a 47-14-1 record, powered by the highest scoring offense (4.56 goals per game) and the third stingiest defense in the league (2.71 goals allowed per game).
In the end, the Phantoms had the largest goal differential among the 17 teams, scoring an average of 1.85 goals more than they allowed per game.
"This group is not motivated by the fruits of victory, but by the fear of defeat; they hate to lose," Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt said.
Nine Phantoms are also motivated by the prospect of a second chance at winning the Robertson Cup. Of the nine, eight were part of last year's Phantoms squad that hosted the national tournament last year, finishing fourth.
The ninth, defenseman Trent Bonnett, who played for Cleveland last season, embraces the opportunity.
"We've worked hard since August and we've stayed hungry ever since," Bonnett said. "In the playoffs, the team that is hungrier tends to win."
The top-seeded Phantoms finished 9-2 against Marquette this season, outscoring the Rangers 54-23. Bentley college recruit Dustin Cloutier led all scorers with 19 points on 12 goals and seven assists against the Rangers. Cloutier finished third in NAHL scoring with a team-record 83 points.
The Phantoms, however, vividly recall those two losses.
On Dec. 22, the Rangers won 3-2 at home to snap the Phantoms' 19-game winning streak. Marquette won despite being out-shot 38-29 and allowing 13 Phantom power play chances.
Then, on Mar. 2, Marquette came to Boardman and became the first team to win at the Ice Zone this season.
Jake Hauswirth's goal with seven seconds remaining in the third period gave the Rangers a 5-4 win to end the Phantoms' home streak at 19 games and snap their 12-game win streak overall.
"It's obvious that the Marquette team we faced last month was not the same team we had seen before the New Year," Captain and Alabama-Huntsville recruit Chris Fairbanks said. "We're also not the same team that we were at the start of the season."
That includes goaltender Ryan Zapolski, who started the season with a 5-5-1 record.
Since that point, the Mercyhurst College recruit is 37-3-0 in his last 40 starts, en route to a league-high 42 wins and .929 save percentage.
The Phantoms are 26-3-0 at home this season, but Mainhardt downplays all regular season numbers.
"The first two games are extremely important for us," Mainhardt said. "We can't rest on our regular season success and expect it to carry into the playoffs."
Mainhardt finds his team's continued success vital to promoting hockey in the area.
"It's important to develop hockey in this area, so it's been a very important season for hockey in the Mahoning Valley," Mainhardt said. "Success goes a long way."
Left winger Miles Winter was named the NAHL's North Division Player of the Week for the final week of the regular season. The native of Horsham, Pa. scored three goals in the Phantoms' two wins over the U.S. National on Mar. 30-31.
Winter becomes the seventh Phantom to receive the weekly honor. He joins three-time winner Zapolski, right wing Nathan Longpre, center Chad Boeckman, right wing Alden Hirschfeld, right wing Janis Purins and center Cloutier.
The Mahoning Valley Phantoms are owned by the B.J. Alan Company- Phantom Fireworks, which is headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio.
North American Hockey League Stories from April 3, 2007
- IceDiggers to honor host families - Alpena IceDiggers
- Phantoms' championship run begins Thursday - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- Phantoms streak into playoffs - NAHL
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
