USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms hold on, sweep Bucs

Published on November 6, 2009 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - They don't ask how, they ask how many.

Up 5-1 midway through Friday night's game at the Covelli Centre, the Youngstown Phantoms ultimately held on to prevail 5-4 over the feisty Des Moines Buccaneers, running their season-long winning streak to four in a row. The Phantoms have now grabbed a pair of wins to kick off a five-game homestand.

Brett Gensler was the only Phantom with multiple points on the night with a goal and an assist. His unassisted tally at 8:37 of the second held up as the game winner, his third decider of the campaign. Gensler now has 10 points, tying him with Taylor Holstrom for the team lead.

Holstrom capped a three-goal Phantoms first period by driving home a loose puck in the low slot with 4:50 to go in the opening stanza. Brian Dowd (power play - 1:29) and Nick Czinder (7:14) ripped the twine in the opening minutes to counteract Ryan Walters' even-strength rebound goal 2:18 into the contest.

The 3-1 Youngstown lead quickly became a three-goal margin when Adam Berkle nailed his fourth of the season, converting the huge rebound of Stuart Higgins' long shot. Berkle buried the puck between goalie Keegan Asmundson's legs, who was seeing his first action as a member of the Bucs.

Asmundson contributed to his own demise on Gensler's presumed backbreaker, as he attempted to flip the puck past the forechecking Phantoms winger but instead fired it right at him. Gensler calmly gloved it down and banked a 30-footer off a Des Moines defenseman and into the yawning cage to make it 5-1.

The Bucs didn't back down, generating two momentum-switching goals less than three minutes apart late in the middle frame. Taylor Wolfe one-timed a centering pass at 14:27 to cut it to 5-2, then set up Dan O'Donoghue with a sharp feed of his own with 2:39 to go before the second intermission.

H.T. Lenz's wrister fooled Youngstown goalie Jordan Tibbett at 9:39 of the third, making the Bargain Beer Night crowd uneasy, but the Phantoms locked down their own zone the rest of the way to preserve the victory.

Special teams played a key role, as Youngstown scored twice on the power play while killing off all four Des Moines opportunities with the man advantage. The Phantoms had given up a power play goal in all 10 of their previous games this season, but the penalty kill came up aces Friday, including a clutch denial with just over five minutes to play.

The Phantoms claimed the season series with Des Moines three games to one, and these two interdivision sparring partners won't meet again unless it's in the Clark Cup Final. It's a shame because each match-up between the two was a thriller; the aggregate score was 17-16 in favor of Youngstown with the Phantoms claiming all three wins by just one goal apiece.

Join the Phantoms next Wednesday as they battle the Green Bay Gamblers for the first time. In honor of Veterans Day, $3 from each ticket sold will go directly to the USO of Northern Ohio. Also, take the time to send season's greetings to local soldiers overseas as part of The Vindicator's Operation Holiday Cheer program.

Check out the Youngstown Phantoms Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



United States Hockey League Stories from November 6, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central