USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms Fall off against Roughriders

Published on March 29, 2013 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Youngstown Phantoms let a golden opportunity to gain ground in the Eastern Conference standings slip away Friday night. After trading two goals apiece in the opening period, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders scored three unanswered on the way a 6-3 victory in their first game back in the Covelli Centre since the Phantoms eliminated them in the opening round of last year's playoffs.

The loss snapped a franchise record eight-game home winning streak for Youngstown (33-24-0, 66 points), which missed out on the chance to move within two points of the third-place Muskegon Lumberjacks, who dropped a 4-3 decision to the Chicago Steel.

Although one franchise record was snapped, right wing Sam Anas equaled another with his 31st goal of the season. The Phantoms also got goals from Markus McCrea and Cam Brown, while Sean Romeo surrendered five on 32 shots.

McCrea said the game was a reminder that, despite already having a Clark Cup Playoff spot locked up, he and his teammate could not afford to take the foot off the gas at any point.

"We need be past [games like this]," he said. "When we were in last place, we were playing great, but now I think since we clinched playoffs, guys kind of relaxed a little bit, but that can't happen. The playoffs are only going to be tougher."

Anas opened the scoring less than five minutes into the first period when he walked in from the wall and beat Cedar Rapids goaltender Michael Rotolo just inside the post with a low-lying wrist shot. The tally was his third in the past two games and brought him even with former teammate JT Stenglein for the most scored by a Phantoms' player in a single season.

"It's nice to get it, but I'd rather take the record," Anas said.

"'Sammy' deserves it," head coach Anthony Noreen said. "The way he's acted, the way he's carried himself and the effort he's put in over the past two years - he's earned it. I just hope when he gets the record-breaking goal, he can do it in a winning cause."

The RoughRiders (23-29-7, 53 points) answered a little more than two minutes later after a turnover left Dylan McLaughlin alone with the puck in the low slot. The Phantoms moved back in front 2-1 with 7:48 remaining in the period when JJ Piccinich found McCrea between the circles and the veteran winger fired a bullet past Rotolo for his 14th goal of the season.

David Goodwin evened things up for the RoughRiders, scoring with just one second remaining on a power play to make it 2-2 with 2:36 left in the opening period. Anas just missed breaking the goal-scoring record in the second period when he poked a puck free and went in on a short-handed mini-breakaway, but his shot whistled barely inches over the crossbar.

"It was a really quick play," Anas said. "The puck was rolling on me so I couldn't get a good shot off."

Minutes later, Mark Auk put Cedar Rapids in front when he blasted a rebound in from the left circle, making it a 3-2 game with 6:52 remaining in the second period. The 'Riders added goals from Alec Marsh and Dylan Steman to take a 5-2 lead just past the midway point in the third.

Brown brought it back within a two-goal game with 5:30 remaining when dug a puck out from underneath Rotolo and elevated it. The scrappy 5-foot-4 center was back on the ice in the waning seconds of the game, as the Phantoms pulled Romeo for the extra attacker in an attempt to even it up, but he was not so fortunate.

Brown went down to block a shot on his open net and the puck caught him just below the visor. The Maine recruit made his way back to the bench, but following the game it was revealed he had lost three teeth and required stiches as well.

"The guy blocks a slap shot in a two-goal game with 20 seconds left," Noreen said. "That's just Cam.

"There's no quit in him. His compete level is as elite as any player I've ever seen, played with, or coached at any level," Noreen said. "He embodies exactly what we want to be all about here."

Cedar Rapids would eventually get an empty-net goal from David Goodwin to secure the win.

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United States Hockey League Stories from March 29, 2013


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