Phantoms drop second straight
Published on October 20, 2005 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
Blaine, Minnesota (Thursday, October 20, 2005) - When a team is shorthanded by two players on the ice, it often looks unfair, even helpless, to the team with the disadvantage. Holding a five-on-three powerplay can often resemble a group of bullies cornering the defenseless kids in school, stealing their lunch and sharing it amongst themselves, only to then demand their milk money. The outnumbered try to fight and scrape before they are eventually backed into a wall. They are......defenseless.
For two minutes and 26 seconds in the second period, the Mahoning Valley Phantoms were bullied by the Bozeman IceDogs, scoring twice with a two-man advantage, en route to a 4-1 Bozeman win in day two of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) Showcase.
Aside from a couple puck redirections that just missed the net, neither team created any real scoring chances in the first period. Then the Bozeman powerplay took over.
The Phantoms were forced to kill a questionable roughing penalty called against Marc Menzione with 12:50 left in the second period. 56 seconds later, the momentum dramatically shifted. Already shorthanded, defenseman Dennis Urban was whistled a double-minor penalty for checking from behind in addition to a game ejection. The Phantoms were now down two men for a minute and four seconds. The Phantoms bent but didn't break.
They successfully killed Menzione's penalty but were still down a man for nearly another three minutes with Urban's infraction. Then, the Phantoms nightmare worsened just 41 seconds later when Anthony Ciraulo was punished two minutes for high sticking, giving Bozeman another two-man advantage. 11 seconds later, Mark Columbus scored all alone in front to break a scoreless tie for Bozeman. But the agony was yet over.
Because their were four seconds remaining in the first of Urban's two minor penalties when the goal was scored, only those four seconds could be removed as a result of the goal. That meant the two-man Bozeman powerplay would continue; as Urban's second two-minute penalty would still have to be served with Ciraulo also sitting out the remaining minute and 49 seconds of his penalty.
Bozeman took advantage again and added to its lead just 30 seconds later. Defenseman Brian Moore, who assisted on Columbus' goal, scored in the near identical spot for a 2-0 margin at the 10:26 mark. A minute later, another Phantoms penalty would leave them down two men for 16 seconds, but the bleeding stopped as they denied Bozeman of any damage; for the time being.
After Matt Atsoff was caught for high-sticking with 3:21 remaining in the period, the IceDogs scored their third powerplay goal of the stanza. On a two-on-one break, Moore saucered a pass cross-ice to Cody Omilusik, who sent a rising wrist shot over the left shoulder of Phantoms goaltender Bryce Merriam for a 3-0 lead at 17:26. Jameson Raymond added an even strength goal 86 seconds later to further insure their lead. In the second period, the Phantoms were shorthanded for nearly nine minutes and could only muster three shots on goal.
The Phantoms started the third period with a powerplay of their own and quickly converted in 26 seconds. Menzione found Brent Dexter alone in front of the net; Dexter beat Bozeman goaltender Matt Dalton for his second goal of the season. The Phantoms had four additional powerplay chances to catch up, including a two-man advantage of their own with 1:53 left in regulation. But the Phantoms couldn't capitalize, falling to 4-5-0, despite outshooting the IceDogs 21-19.
The Phantoms will next face the expansion North Iowa Outlaws on Friday at noon (mvpphantoms.com).
Phantom Phindings- Center Anthony Ciraulo was awarded the NAHL Sherwood Co-offensive Player of the Week for the week ending October 16. In three games last weekend, Ciraulo scored three goals and added five assists, leading the Phantoms to two wins over the weekend. In nine games, Ciraulo leads the Phantoms in scoring with 13 points (four goals and nine assists.)
North American Hockey League Stories from October 20, 2005
- Bandits race past Outlaws at NAHL Showcase - North Iowa Outlaws
- Emotional Win Puts Roadrunners Over .500 - Topeka Pilots
- Fairbanks Tops Team USA In Overtime - U.S. National Team
- Phantoms drop second straight - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- NAHL Players of the Week - NAHL
- Morrow shares NAHL Defensive player of the week honors - Bozeman Icedogs
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