Phantoms Dominate Steel in 6-1 Win
Published on November 1, 2025 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release
Youngstown Phantoms on game night
(Youngstown Phantoms, Credit: Scott Galvin/Scott Galvin Photography)
YOUNGSTOWN, OH - Needing to bounce back less than 24 hours after a disappointing loss, the Youngstown Phantoms (9-5-1-0, 19pts) dominated from puck drop and never looked back, powering to a 6-1 win over the Chicago Steel Saturday night at the Covelli Centre.
"I thought we started really well, good bounce back from yesterday," said Phantoms Chief of Staff Redmond Brow. "We made a few minor adjustments and I thought the boys responded really well."
Youngstown opened the scoring at 6:58 of the first as Logan Anderson finished off a 2-on-2 rush with Matti Butkovskiy. Butkovskiy made a perfect pass through the seam to Anderson, who picked his spot on Louis-Felix Charrois (27 saves), snapping it home upstairs on the sprawling Chicago netminder. "The first goal was a great catch-and-release (by Anderson)," said Brow. "As he continues to play more games, I think you'll see his offensive side come out a little bit more. I think that was on display a little bit tonight."
Jakub Heš doubled the Phantoms lead at 15:11, stepping into a drop pass from Malachi McKinnon and blasting a full-clap one-timer past Charrois from the top of the left circle. Heš has 4 goals in 11 games since returning to the lineup, nearly double his rate from last season. "Really important (to get Heš back in the lineup)," said Brow. "He brings that extra layer of offense, and I think that his 200-foot game is something that really helps us down the middle."
The Phantoms carried the 2-0 lead into the second period and built on it at 14:49 of the second. A Chicago clearing pass hit McKinnon in the skate and settled at his feet. Locating the puck in his skates, McKinnon cut through the Chicago defense and loosed a backhander from the right circle that deflected off a Steel defender's stick and into the cage. Youngstown dominated the second period, outshooting Chicago 14-0 in the middle frame.
Not to be outdone, Cooper Simpson added to his highlight reel for the season, stretching the Phantoms lead to 4-0 fifty-nine seconds into the third. Taking a stretch pass from Kyle O'Leary, Simpson put the puck through the skates of the Chicago defender, cut to the middle, regathered, and used the defenseman as a screen to rip a low shot past the glove of Charrois. "When the puck is on (Simpson's) stick, there's always something magical that can happen," said Brow. "He brings something very dynamic to this team. Whenever the puck's on his stick it's 'must watch hockey.'"
Youngstown continued to build on the lead, tacking on a goal from Evan Jardine, who put a one-timer from the slot past Charrois at 5:00 of the third. The Phantoms tacked on a final marker when Ryan Rucinski won a shorthanded faceoff forward, poked the puck out to center, and raced down ice in a 2-on-1 with Butkovskiy. Rucinski made a small shoulder fake of a pass across and then ripped a low wrister past Charrois, putting Youngstown ahead 6-0 and ending the night for Charrois. Henry Major scored a 5-on-3 power play goal for Chicago at 17:03, ending the shutout bid of Tobias Trejbal, who stopped 11-of-12.
Youngstown will wrap up their four-game homestand next weekend with a pair of games against the Western Conference-leading Sioux Falls Stampede.
By The Numbers
Shots - 33
Saves - 11
Power Play - 0/2
Penalty Kill - 3/4
Goals - Anderson, Heš, Jardine, McKinnon, Rucinski, Simpson
Assists - Butkovskiy, Hamilton, Hextall, McKinnon, Murphy, O'Leary, Willson (2)
Images from this story
 Youngstown Phantoms on game night (Scott Galvin/Scott Galvin Photography) |
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