Phantoms Hold on for 4-3 Win over Steel Amidst 3rd-Period Chaos
Published on March 16, 2013 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release
BENSENVILLE, Ill. - The Youngstown Phantoms battled through a penalty-riddled third period to emerge with a 4-3 win over the Chicago Steel Friday night. Kyle Connor gave the Phantoms (30-21-0, 60 point) a 4-1 lead early in third, but the Steel (21-27-4, 46 points) were able to draw within a goal thanks eight power-play opportunities - and a combined 85 penalty minutes between both teams - over the final 20 minutes of regulation.
"I don't know if I've ever been part of a hockey game like that," head coach Anthony Noreen said. "I was as worked up as anyone else, but what I kept trying to remind myself and the guys was, "ËCalm down. Focus on the task at hand. We've got a hockey game to win.'
"Our penalty kill (which went 13-for-14) was phenomenal tonight. A big part of that was guys killing penalties for the first time - forwards playing defense to kill off a 5-on-3 against because we ran out of defensemen. It was just an absolute battle for our guys."
Austin Cangelosi led the way Youngstown with his second straight three-point game (one goal, two assists), while John Padulo added a power-play goal and Eric Sweetman notched one short-handed. Goaltender Sean Romeo proved to be the Phantoms' best penalty killer turning away 33 shots to pick up his 25th win of the season.
Chicago struck first eight minutes into the first period. Drew Smolcynski skated the puck in below the blue line, sucking the Youngstown defensemen with him before dishing it to an open Tyler Heinonen just outside the goalmouth.
Cangelosi knotted it up for the Phantoms on a power play with two minutes remaining in the opening period. The Phantoms were unable to capitalize on a brief 5-on-3 advantage, but before the Steel forward Thomas Ebbing could position himself, Ryan Lowney blasted a one-timer from the point and the puck ricocheted out to the bottom of the left circle. Cangelosi stretched out for it and from his knees batted the bouncing straight into the top right corner for his 16th goal of the season.
Chicago's first opportunity on the 5-on-3 advantage came in the second period. Tyler Heinonen appeared poised to net his second goal of the night when he gathered up a rebound after Romeo made a sprawling save, but the Maine recruit came out of nowhere with the glove to snatch it away.
The Phantoms went on to kill off the remainder of the penalties and promptly awarded a power play at the 15:45 mark of the period when Alex Roos was whistled for slashing. They swiftly went to work and Padulo was able to fight through a crowd of bodies for a rebound and fire it in to put Youngstown in front just 18 seconds into the man-advantage.
The Phantoms went back on the penalty kill, for the fifth time of the period, with 2:54 remaining in the second. But Lowney read the play, picked off the puck between the circles and led a short-handed rush down the ice. He dished it off to Nathan Walker, who tossed a shot on net and Sweetman crashed in and cashed in on the rebound to make it 3-1 heading into the third.
"We want our guys to attack on the penalty kill, whether they're defensemen or forwards." Noreen said. "Those goals are momentum-stealers."
Connor gave Youngstown a four-goal cushion just 1:14 into the final period when Cangelosi dropped a pass for him and the 16-year-old split the defenseman, settled the puck after losing control temporarily, and flicked it past goaltender Chris Nell to make it 4-1.
Then all H-E double hockey sticks broke loose.
It started with a cross-checking penalty to Jimmy Mazza 14 seconds after Connor's goal. Then came back-to-back-to-back fights over the next three minutes of regulation. Walker faced off against Thomas Ebbing, while Mazza did a dance with Michael Holland. But the highlight was light-weight bout that saw Phantoms center Cam Brown challenge, and then take down, Patrick Polino with slew of haymakers after the Chicago forward threw a high elbow on Cangelosi.
"Guys were all sticking up for teammates. Cam felt like someone took liberty on one of his teammates and jumps in," Noreen said. "And he's all of about 5-foot-6, 140 pounds."
Beginning at the 7:26 mark the Phantoms were assessed four straight penalties - two trips, one hook and one slash - to three defenseman - Lowney (twice), Tommy Davis and Dan Renouf - to find themselves killing off an extended 5-on-3. At multiple points in the period, the Phantoms had six players in the penalty box.
Chicago finally broke through at the 11:09 mark as Roos beat Romeo on the backdoor with the Phantoms simply out-manned. Then Roos made it a one-goal game at the 12:28 mark, just two seconds after the Youngstown had returned to full strength.
But the Phantoms persevered and, despite a cross-checking penalty assessed to Mazza with 44 seconds remaining, which gave the Steel a 6-on-4 advantage after pulling the goaltender, held on for the win.
United States Hockey League Stories from March 16, 2013
- Phantoms Close in on 3rd Place with 4-1 Win over Muskegon - Youngstown Phantoms
- Brey Stops 23, Quenneville Scores Late as Saints Win 1-0 Saturday - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Chicago earns 3-2 shootout victory - Indiana Ice
- Third Period Dooms Lumberjacks at Home in 4-1 Loss - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Phantoms Hold on for 4-3 Win over Steel Amidst 3rd-Period Chaos - Youngstown Phantoms
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