Phantoms Knock off Steel 5-3

October 7, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release

YOUNGSTOWN, OH - After giving up the opening marker, the Youngstown Phantoms (2-2-0-0, 4pts) ripped off five straight goals en route to a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Steel Friday night at the Covelli Centre. After winning their season opener, Chicago has now lost four straight.

"At the end of the day, it's great to win on home ice," said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward. "It's what we want, but we've got some stuff we've got to clean up."

The defending Eastern Conference regular season champions from the Windy City had not held a lead in their first four games this season, their lone win coming in overtime in the season opener. They had also not scored the first goal of a game through the first four contests, but that changed 5:31 into the first when Michael Hagens kept a puck in at the blue line, walked to the top of the circles and snapped a wrist shot past Colin Winn (18 saves) to give the Steel their first lead of the season.

The lead was short-lived as Jack Willson knotted the game at 12:13. Like the Hagens goal, the Chicago defense gave Willson time and space, and he picked his spot from the top of the left circle for his first goal of the year. 33 seconds later, Andrew Strathmann gave the Phantoms the lead, blasting a one-timer from center point on the power play, after a beautiful backhanded drop pass from Charlie Cerrato. Strathmann is on a five-game scoring streak dating back to last season. 62 seconds later, Zach Morin put home his second of the season. After a steal in the corner of the Phantoms zone, Tory Pitner lifted an area pass to the Chicago blue line that Morin skated in to. Steel netminder Christian Manz (37 saves) left his crease to try to play the puck away from Morin, but Morin chipped the puck around him and backhanded it into an empty cage for a 3-1 Youngstown lead. "Awesome pass (from Pitner)," said Morin. "The goalie did that to me last game and I missed, so I went to my backhand, and it worked." All told, the Phantoms scored three goals in 95 seconds.

Youngstown kept the pressure on, scoring 85 seconds into the middle frame. Brandon Svoboda redirected Finn McLaughlin's shot for his first goal of the year. McLaughlin earned his first point in the USHL with the assist. Cerrato capped off the scoring for Youngstown, firing home a one-timer at 4:01 for his first goal as a Phantom. Kuzma Voronin earned the lone assist on the goal, picking the pocket of a Chicago defender along the left wing boards before finding Cerrato all alone in the slot. "(Voronin) is a great player," said Cerrato. "Really skilled guy, makes a lot of plays in practice. Glad he got that break through in a game, we'll probably see a lot more coming from him now."

Michael Hage got the final two markers of the night, scoring on a breakaway with 10.1 seconds left in the second period and beating Winn off the far post and in with 13.8 seconds left in regulation and Manz on the bench for the extra attacker.

Youngstown wraps up their three-game homestand tomorrow night against the Des Moines Buccaneers with a 7:05pm puck drop.

By the Numbers

Shots - 42

Saves - 18

Power Play - 1/5

Penalty Kill - 6/6

Goals - Cerrato, Morin, Strathmann, Svoboda, Willson

Assists - Burchill, Cerrato, Machu, McLaughlin, Morin, Pitner, Ranallo, Strathmann, Voronin

Youngstown Phantoms celebrate win (Scott Galvin/Scott Galvin Photography)

United States Hockey League Stories from October 7, 2023

• Stars Fall to Capitols Home Opener - Lincoln Stars
• Boisvert Collects 3 Points in 8-2 Win Over Chicago on Flaunt Your Flannel Festival - Muskegon Lumberjacks
• Lancers Fall in a Fiesty Matchup with the Roughriders - Omaha Lancers
• Madison Beats Lincoln 6-1 on Road, Improves to 4-0-0-0 on Season - Madison Capitols
• Phantoms Sink Buccaneers 4-1 - Youngstown Phantoms
• Capitols Steal Stars' Home Opener - Lincoln Stars
• Hawks Suffer in the Siouxland - Waterloo Black Hawks
• Stampede Sticks Together To Claim Win Over Black Hawks - Sioux Falls Stampede
• Gamblers Fall Short in Exciting Home Opener - Green Bay Gamblers
• Madison Beats Lincoln 6-1 on Road, Improves to 4-0-0-0 on Season - Madison Capitols
• Des Moines Drops Pair on the Road - Des Moines Buccaneers
• Oliver Makes College Commitment - Lincoln Stars
• Phantoms Knock off Steel 5-3 - Youngstown Phantoms

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