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USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms Drop Dubuque 6-3

February 18, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, OH - After a four-goal first period staked them to a large advantage, the Youngstown Phantoms (22-13-4-1, 49 points) had to keep the pressure on to hold off a furious comeback effort by the visiting Dubuque Fighting Saints Friday night at the Covelli Centre. The Phantoms held on for a 6-3 win, opening up a five-point cushion on the team immediately behind them in the Eastern Conference standings.

"(We) certainly don't love to make it easy on ourselves," said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward. "Ultimately, opposite of last weekend, I felt like we were in control and never really got away from what we wanted to do late in the game."

After scoring four in the first period, it looked like the Phantoms might cruise to victory. Matthew Perkins opened the scoring just 2:17 into regulation, redirecting an Andrew Strathmann shot for a power play goal, his 11th marker of the season. Jake Rozzi doubled the lead at 4:31. After Rozzi's aggressive forecheck forced a turnover, Rozzi fed Perkins for a one-timer from the left dot. Paxton Geisel (24 saves) stopped Perkins' shot, but the puck trickled through his pads and stopped on the goal line. Rozzi came around the net and tapped it across for his 13th of the season and a 2-0 Phantoms lead. Justin Varner made it 3-0 with a power play goal of his own at 7:36, redirecting a Strathmann shot for his eighth of the campaign. Shane Lachance fired his team-leading 26th goal of the season into the net at 15:55, capping off the Youngstown scoring run.

Despite seeing themselves in a 4-0 hole, Dubuque did not quit, and went on to score the next three goals to get back within one. Cole Helm scored on a 2-on-1 with Michael Burchill at 17:15 of the first, Caelum Dick scored on a one-timer at 16:57 of the second, joining a play late as a trailer after a change, and James Reeder scored on a 2-on-0 with Jake Sondreal at 4:34 of the third to get the Fighting Saints back within a goal. In spite of allowing the three straight goals, Colin Winn (23 saves) was outstanding in net for Youngstown, making several flashy saves in the first and second period to help keep Youngstown in the lead.

"After they scored their third goal, I'm proud of how our power play responded," said Ward. "Proud of how we played the next six or seven minutes. (We were on) the right side of the puck, hemming them in their "D" zone. I thought it was a good response."

The power play did respond, and it was Rozzi again, who had Andrew Centrella's shot from the left point hit his arm on its way to the back of the net. For Rozzi, it was his second two-goal game of the season, but more importantly it stopped the Dubuque scoring run and put the Phantoms back ahead by two at 5-3. The Phantoms were 3/5 on the power play in the game and are 10/21 against Dubuque through four games this season. "Jake, his last six weeks, he's been really good," said Ward. "He's been playing extremely hard away from the puck. His playmaking ability and the way he's seeing it right now, is probably second-to-none purely from a vision and playmaking standpoint. It's nice to see him get rewarded for it." William Whitelaw scored on the empty net with 1:13 left in regulation to cap off the scoring. Whitelaw has goals in six straight home games.

The Phantoms and Fighting Saints wrap up their weekend series Saturday night at the Covelli Centre with a 7:05pm puck drop. It will be the last game between the two teams in Youngstown this season.

By the Numbers

Shots - 30

Saves - 23

Power Play - 3/5

Penalty Kill - 3/3

Goals - Lachance, Perkins, Rozzi (2), Whitelaw

Assists - Centrella, Lachance (2), Misiak (2), Perkins, Pietila, Pitner, Strathmann (2), Williams

Check out the Youngstown Phantoms Statistics

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