Phantoms Clinch First Place with Dominant 6-1 Win Over Team USA

Sports stats



USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms Clinch First Place with Dominant 6-1 Win Over Team USA

April 13, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


Youngstown Phantoms' Luke Osburn congratulated by team
Youngstown Phantoms' Luke Osburn congratulated by team
(Youngstown Phantoms, Credit: Scott Galvin/Scott Galvin Photography)

YOUNGSTOWN, OH - The Youngstown Phantoms (42-18-0-2, 86 points) needed a win to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference and responded with a 6-1 thumping of Team USA Saturday night at the Covelli Centre. This marks the second time that Youngstown has earned the top spot in the East, the first since 2015.

"They did it. They did it in spite of all of us coaches," joked Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward. "It's a special group obviously. They've been playing playoff hockey since about mid-December. Every game's been important to them and they've treated it as such. That locker room's a special place. They should be proud."

After finding themselves trailing Team USA 2-0 in the first 4:18 on Friday night, the Phantoms had no intention of putting themselves in the same spot on this night. Peter Cisar opened the scoring just 42 seconds into regulation, tapping a backdoor feed into an empty cage, thanks to an expert pass from Coleson Hanrahan. Just under three minutes later, a blocked shot in the USA zone ended up as a JP Hurlbert goal, as he snapped a wrister past Melvin Strahl (18 saves) from the top of the right circle, tying the game at 1-1 at 3:24.

Youngstown used a three-goal second period to put the game out of reach. At 5:31 it was Adam Benák beating Luke Carrithers (29 saves) with a lacrosse-style goal, picking the puck up behind the cage and lifting it into the net before Carrithers could get to the far post. Ryan Rucinski doubled the Phantoms lead at 15:05, firing home a one-timer from the left dot off another expert pass from Hanrahan. Forty-one seconds later it was Rucinski again, this time tapping home a shot-pass from Luke Osburn for a power play goal and a 4-1 Youngstown advantage.

Rucinski wasn't done, however, and at 5:49 of the third completed his first regular season hat trick, banging in his third goal of the game during a net-front scramble. Rucinski also potted a hat trick during the playoffs last season, scoring three in the first round-clinching game against Madison.

The final Youngstown goal of the regular season came off the stick of Osburn, who snapped a wrister from the right half-wall past Carrithers at 12:27. The goal was the 18th of Osburn's USHL career, which broke the tie he had with current New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield at 17, leaving Osburn with the most goals in a USHL career by a Phantoms defenseman. "It's an awesome feeling," said Osburn. "One thing I know for sure is I couldn't have done it without the guys around me. Love every one of those guys, they mean a lot to me." Owen Lepak replaced Strahl in the Phantom net after the Osburn goal and stopped both shots he saw, closing the door on Team USA.

The victory gave Youngstown 86 points for the season, tying the highest total in team history (2014-15). By going 3/7 on the power-play for the night, the man-advantage unit finished at 23.7% for the season, the best mark in team history, also besting the 2014-15 squad (22.3%). Youngstown also set a team record for wins in a season with 42. Eighty-six points was just enough to clinch the top spot in the Eastern Conference, finishing one point ahead of the Dubuque Fighting Saints, who the Phantoms trailed by six points just 10 weeks ago. Youngstown will meet the winner of the Cedar Rapids/Muskegon series in the second round (best-of-five) of the Clark Cup Playoffs. Game dates and times are still to be announced.

By The Numbers

Shots - 35

Saves - 20

Power Play - 3/7

Penalty Kill - 3/3

Goals - Benák, Cisar, Osburn, Rucinski (3)

Assists - Benák (2), Hanrahan (2), Jardine (2), Osburn (2), Resendes (2), Stengrim

Box Score - https://ushl.com/ht/#/game-summary/12355

Check out the Youngstown Phantoms Statistics




Images from this story

Youngstown Phantoms' Luke Osburn congratulated by team
Youngstown Phantoms' Luke Osburn congratulated by team
(Scott Galvin/Scott Galvin Photography)		   

• Discuss this story on the United States Hockey League message board...

United States Hockey League Stories from April 13, 2025


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.

OurSports Central