Phantoms Level Lumberjacks 5-1
USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms Level Lumberjacks 5-1

Published on February 25, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


Youngstown Phantoms celebrate a goal
Youngstown Phantoms celebrate a goal
(Youngstown Phantoms, Credit: Scott Galvin/Galvin Photography)

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO - The Youngstown Phantoms (35-11-3-1, 74points) used two goals from Cooper Simpson, a record-setting goal from Ryan Rucinski, and 22 stops from Tobias Trejbal to down the Muskegon Lumberjacks 5-1 Wednesday morning in from of more than 5,300 area children at the annual School Day game at the Covelli Centre.

"We played much tighter, our details were much better (than two weeks ago against Muskegon)," said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward. "(A) complete game. Maybe we should play all of our games at 10:30."

Youngstown thought they took a 1-0 lead in the opening five minutes, but Richard Zemlicka's goal was waived off due to goaltender interference. There was no taking back Youngstown's next tally, as Simpson ripped a wrister from the right circle past Carl Axelsson at 13:14 for a power play goal. Youngstown carried that 1-0 advantage to the locker room for the first intermission.

The Phantoms opened the scoring in the second period as well, doubling their lead at 6:54. Simpson was initially denied on a breakaway, but Jack Hextall won the battle for the rebound and fed Simpson in the right circle. Simpson used a toe drag to create a screen before firing past Axelsson to the far side for his second of the game and a 2-0 Youngstown lead. Ryan Rucinski added on to the Phantoms lead at 13:54, converting a power play goal with a wrister from the slot on a rush. Rucinski's goal was his 16th of the season on the power play, setting a new Phantom team record. Tobias Trejbal recorded an assist on the play as well, his fifth of the season, which set a new Phantom record for both a season and career for points by a goaltender, passing Jacob Fowler.

Youngstown kept adding on in the third period. Jakub Heš scored on a redirect at 11:56, tipping a pass from Alexander Svitov through Axelsson's five hole to complete a pretty give-and-go play. Muskegon broke up Trejbal's shutout big at 14:49 when Nathan Larioza struck for his first goal in the USHL, but Lenny Boos answered back with an empty net goal for Youngstown to seal the game.

Axelsson stopped 15-of-19 in the loss, while Trejbal stopped 22-of-23 to earn his 24th win of the season, which is tops in the Eastern Conference and one off the pace for the league lead.

Youngstown will hit the road this weekend for a pair of games in Green Bay before returning home for a five-game homestand, the final stretch of games at Covelli of the regular season.

BY THE NUMBERS

Shots - 20

Saves - 22

Power Play - 2/3

Penalty Kill - 3/3

Goals - Boos, Heš, Rucinski, Simpson (2)

Assists - Hextall, Jardine, McKinnon, Rucinski, Simpson, Svitov, Whiterabbit, Willson

Box Score - https://ushl.com/ht/#/game-summary/12827

Check out the Youngstown Phantoms Statistics

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Images from this story

Youngstown Phantoms celebrate a goal
Youngstown Phantoms celebrate a goal
(Scott Galvin/Galvin Photography)		   



United States Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2026


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