Phantoms hold first place despite losses
Published on December 17, 2004 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
After taking over sole possession of first place in the NAHL's North Division with three consecutive victories last weekend, the Youngstown Phantoms (16-9-2, 34 points) dropped both ends of last weekend's home-and-home series with Cleveland and then lost a heartbreaker to Toledo on Tuesday night.
On Saturday night at The Ice Zone, the Phantoms led the visiting Barons by a score of 3-0 after two periods, but collapsed during the final 20 minutes of action and eventually lost, 5-3.
Despite the disappointing weekend, Youngstown remains in first place because the second-place U.S. National Team dropped back-to-back road games against the Soo Indians this weekend, losing 3-1 on Friday night and then 6-1 on Saturday night. Last weekend (December 3-5), Youngstown defeated the U.S. National Team at The Ice Zone in Boardman on Friday night and Saturday night and also downed Cleveland on the road on Sunday.
The U.S. Team closed what had been a three point gap to one point by defeating Toledo earlier in the week
After a scoreless opening period, the Youngstown offense cranked it up in the second period. Rob Rassey picked up the first goal of the evening when he beat Cleveland goaltender Blake MacNicol at the 14:38 mark. The Phantoms also got second-period tallies from Marc Menzione at 18:54 and Mike Maltese at 19:15.
However, the Barons stormed back in the third period when they fired 20 shots at Youngstown goaltender Jerry Kuhn. Power play goals by John Goebel at 2:43 and Carter Camper at 8:47 made it a 3-2 contest. Cleveland's Pat Schafer tied the game at the 13:32 mark, then a pair of goals by Nick Kosinski -- one at 15:33 and the other at 17:55 -- lifted the Barons to the victory.
The Phantoms had won four of the previous five meetings with Cleveland this season.
On Sunday afternoon, the Barons got two goals each from John Goebel and Nick Kosinski as they defeated the Phantoms, 5-1 at Lakefront Coliseum. Youngstown's only goal today was scored by Aaron Rhyner at the 7:20 mark of the opening period. It was the team-leading 17th goal of the season for Rhyner, but the Barons were up 2-1 after the first 20 minutes of play.
Goebel's second tally of the day increased that lead to 3-1 at 10:57 of the second period, and Kosinski picked up his goals during the final period, one at the 6:01 mark and the other -- an empty-netter -- at 18:54. Kosinski also registered two goals in the third period on Saturday night as Cleveland bounced back from a 3-0 deficit and defeated Youngstown, 5-3.
After the second period on Saturday, the Phantoms were outscored, 10-1, by the Barons the rest of the weekend despite the fact that they fired 38 shots at Cleveland goaltender Blake MacNicol this afternoon.
Cleveland (10-14-3, 23 points) began the weekend in sixth and last place in the NAHL North.
On Tuesday night, the Phantoms surrendered two goals in the final three minutes and lost 5-4 to the visiting Toledo IceDiggers at The Ice Zone. It was the third straight loss for the Phantoms.
Youngstown led 1-0 after the first period on a goal by Dale Michonski, and then 3-2 after two periods as goals by Owen Meyer and Anthony Ciraulo offset tallies by Adam Thomas and Eric Giosa of Toledo. The Ciraulo goal, which came on a power play, broke a 2-2 tie at the 19:20-mark. Jared Katz scored for Toledo at 2:28 of the final period to tie the contest at 3-3, before Aaron Rhyner banged home his team-leading 18th goal of the season at 7:32 to put the Phantoms back on top, 4-3.
However, the Ice Diggers -- who out-shot Youngstown 41-33 tonight, got the tying goal from Kaleigh Schrock at the 17:34 mark and the game-winner off the blade of Ross Enmark at 18:42.
Youngstown won its first four meetings with Toledo this season, and outscored the IceDiggers 27-12 in the process. However, Tuesday's game was the third-straight one-goal affair between the two teams. On November 6, Youngstown downed Toledo 3-2 in an overtime shootout. The Ice Diggers returned the favor on November 24 when they nipped the Phantoms 4-3 in another shootout. Both games were played at the Toledo Ice House.
Youngstown, who has now lost three straight games for the first time this season, will attempt to get back on the winning track when the Soo Indians come to town for a pair of games on Friday, December 17 and Saturday, December 18.
The Phantoms' final game before the Christmas break will be Wednesday, December 22 when the Toledo Ice Diggers again visit The Ice Zone. The opening face-off for all three of those contests is set for 7:00 p.m. and tickets are available by calling (330) 965-7500 or visiting The Ice Zone, which is located at 360 McClurg Road in Boardman. Tickets are also available at the door on game nights.
North American Hockey League Stories from December 17, 2004
- MacNicol earns Defensive Player of the Week honors - Cleveland Barons
- Jets promotion to benefit local organizations - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Colin Kingston: Jr. Blues king of the hill - Springfield Jr. Blues
- IceDiggers hope to hold off Cleveland - Alpena IceDiggers
- Kraemer takes weekly honors - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Bobcats split on the road with Helena - Bismarck Bobcats
- Maine recruit leads Tornado to two road wins - Texas Tornado
- U-18s top Toledo, U-17s swept by Soo - U.S. National Team
- Indians leave the past, now living in the present - Soo Indians
- Bozeman battles inconsistency - Bozeman Icedogs
- Bulls soar in five-goal third period - Billings Bulls
- Phantoms hold first place despite losses - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- NAHL announces first All-Star Festival - NAHL
- Blizzard top Bobcats, 5-2 - Alexandria Blizzard
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