Phantoms Could Take Over First Place
November 18, 2004 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
Boardman, OH (Thursday, November 18, 2004) -- The Youngstown Phantoms haven't played their best hockey of late, but they've still won 10 of their last 12 games after a 1-3 start. Included in that 12-game stretch is a pair of five-game winning streaks, the most recent of which was snapped last Sunday when Youngstown suffered a 6-1 setback on the road against the Cleveland Barons.
The loss came on the heels of narrow victories over Toledo (3-2 in a shootout on November 6) and Cleveland (5-4 in overtime on November 13). Phantoms' Head Coach & General Manager Bob Mainhardt will be looking for his team to regain top form this weekend when it plays at Cleveland on Saturday and hosts the USA National Team at The Ice Zone on Sunday. Opening face-off for both contests is set for 7:00 p.m. Youngstown (11-5-0, 22 points) is currently in second place in the North American Hockey League's North Division, just two points behind the USA National Team (12-5-0, 24 points). A pair of victories in regulation play this weekend would give the Phantoms sole possession of first place. Mainhardt hopes Sunday's disappointing loss to the Barons will serve as a wake-up call.
"Cleveland put an exclamation point on that victory by beating us so badly on Sunday, but in the long run, I think it's something we can turn into a positive," Mainhardt said. "The last three games, we really haven't played the way we need to play. We had been getting by on our talent, but it (the loss) was something that was overdue, and it came to a head on Sunday. Hopefully, we learned our lesson and we'll get back on the right page. All the motivation should definitely be there this weekend."
Youngstown opened the 2004-2005 season with a pair of alarming losses to the USA 18-and-Under National Team in Ann Arbor, Michigan in mid-September. The scores were 9-4 and 10-4. However, the Team USA squad that will visit Boardman on Sunday is the 17-and-Under version, which as the name suggests, is younger and less experienced. Nonetheless, it is still loaded with talent.
"There's no doubt the two most skilled teams in the division will be going head to head at The Ice Zone on Sunday night," Mainhardt said. "It will be a great match-up for our fans to watch."
Tickets for Sunday night's game with Team USA -- and all Phantoms' home games -- are available by calling (330) 965-7500 or visiting The Ice Zone, located at 360 McClurg Road. Tickets are also available at the door on game nights.
For more information about the Youngstown Phantoms, members of the media should contact Jim Lachimia at (412) 708-9301 or jlatch@zoominternet.net. The latest news regarding the Phantoms is also available on the team's official website www.youngstownphantoms.com and at www.nahl.com.
North American Hockey League Stories from November 18, 2004
- One-goal losses plague Icedogs - Bozeman Icedogs
- Barons grab three points over rival Phantoms - Cleveland Barons
- Two Blizzard wins help create logjam atop NAHL West - Alexandria Blizzard
- Former IceDigger Zeman leading NCAA Division III in scoring - Alpena IceDiggers
- Wildcats light lamp, but drop two close contests - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Jets move into first place tie - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Weekend wins put Tornado atop NAHL once again - Texas Tornado
- Phantoms' win streak snapped at five - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- Bobcats blast Bulls twice at home - Bismarck Bobcats
- NAHL names players of the week - NAHL
- NAHL races burning at the two-month mark - NAHL
- Bulls Campaign in West Division Parity - Billings Bulls
- Phantoms Could Take Over First Place - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
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