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USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms Fall to Lumberjacks 4-3 in OT

December 8, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, OH - Alec Mahalak's goal with 0.6 seconds left in regulation forced overtime, but the crowd of 5,668 went home from the annual School Day Game disappointed as the Youngstown Phantoms (11-9-2-1, 25 points) fell in overtime to the Muskegon Lumberjacks 4-3 Thursday morning at the Covelli Centre.

"It's tough to swallow, losing that at the end," said Phantoms Head Coach Brad Patterson. "The determination of our guys to claw and get that point near the end...there's no quit in our guys and we're able to put one in right as that buzzer's about to sound."

Muskegon opened the scoring at 7:28 of the first period off the stick of the newly acquired Mikael Hakkarainen. Hakkarainen, playing in his third game for Muskegon after being traded by Chicago, came late on the play, taking a pass in the right circle from Zach Berzolla and snapping the wrist shot past the glove of Phantoms netminder Ivan Kulbakov (23 saves) to give the Lumberjacks a 1-0 lead.

Youngstown tied it just over two minutes later at 9:32. Muskegon defenseman Cooper Zech was carrying the puck around his net. All in one motion, newly acquired Phantoms forward Dalton Hunter lifted Zech's stick and fired the puck past a shocked Keith Petruzelli (28 saves) for his first USHL goal on his first USHL shot.

Muskegon regained their one-goal advantage at 17:57 of the second. Koby Bender redirected a point shot into the net for his fifth goal of the season. Muskegon would take that 2-1 lead into the locker room for the second intermission.

The Phantoms found the equalizer once more, this one off the stick of Brett Murray. Alex Esposito picked off a clearing attempt by Petruzelli and fired a backhand pass to Murray, who was all alone on the far post and able to deposit the puck in the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season and first in nine games. "Brett's been great," said Patterson after the game. "That's a big time goal he got tonight."

The Lumberjacks jumped ahead once more at 16:57. The USHL's leading scorer among defensemen Bo Hanson picked up a puck in his own end and lofted it towards the Phantoms zone. Bender was able to track it down in the corner, and centered for Will Smith who redirected it home for his fourth goal of the season and a 3-2 Muskegon lead.

After an icing call with 9.2 seconds left and Kulbakov on the bench for the extra attacker, Youngstown won the offensive zone faceoff. Esposito gathered a rebound in the corner and flung the puck towards the net mouth. The puck found its way to Mahalak, who fired it home for his second goal of the season and sent the game to overtime.

In the extra period, Garret Van Whye carried the puck through the slot going from right to left, shot back to the right, and beat Kulbakov over the glove at 5:06 for the game winning goal.

Youngstown returns to the ice tomorrow night for the first of a two-game set with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05pm and the game will be available on YPHR and HockeyTV.

By the Numbers

Shots - 31

Saves - 23

Power Play - 0/4

Penalty Kill - 2/2

Goals - Hunter, Murray, Mahalak

Assists - Apap, A. Esposito (2)

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2016


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