Phantoms Menace Steel Saturday
February 4, 2017 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
GENEVA, ILLINOIS - Five different Phantoms tallied goals Saturday as Youngstown (23-13-4-1, 51 pts.) defeated the Chicago Steel (25-10-1-3, 54 pts.) 5-1 at Fox Valley Ice Arena. Youngstown's Ivan Kulbakov stopped 23 of Chicago's 24 shots to pick up his 19th victory of the season. The win was Youngstown's second in Chicago in as many nights as the Phantoms climbed to within three points of the Steel in the Eastern Conference standings.
Austen Pooley opened the game's scoring at the 4:54 mark, as the Youngstown center deflected a shot under the glove of Chicago goaltender Peter Thome at 4:54.
Early in the second period, Phantoms forward Max Ellis recorded his second goal of the weekend, firing a shot over Thome's blocker at 3:41. Youngstown center Nicolas Werbik then added a power play goal at 11:09, ending Thome's night after allowing three goals on 13 shots.
Ales Stezka entered the crease for Chicago, but just over a minute into his relief appearance, the puck took a strange deflection off the boards and bounced behind him as Youngstown increased its lead to 4-0. Phantoms defenseman Michael Karow was credited with his second goal of the season.
In the third period, Eric Esposito connected a pass to his older brother, Alex, who fired a low shot past Stezka to increase the Phantoms' lead to 5-0.
The Steel were able to deny Kulbakov's shutout bid when Jack Badini recorded his team-leading 19th goal of the season at 15:23, as Chicago avoided its first five-goal loss of the season.
Chicago went 0-for-5 on the power play. Stezka recorded 11 saves on 13 shots faced. Youngstown now leads the season series, 3-1-0-0, with the final matchup scheduled for March 26 in Chicago. The Steel's season-long eight-game homestand concluded with a 4-4-0-0 record.
Chicago plays its next four games on the road, including visits to Sioux City next Friday, Feb. 10, and Sioux Falls on Saturday, Feb. 11. Both games are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CST. All Steel game broadcasts, home and away, are streamed live on HockeyTV and Mixlr - visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com/broadcast for more information.
The Steel return home to Fox Valley Ice Arena on Sunday, Feb. 19 for a 3:05 p.m. matinee against the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The afternoon will be highlighted by a birthday celebration for Steel mascot, Rusty, who will be joined my many of his Chicagoland mascot friends including Southpaw from the Chicago White Sox. It's a Steel Family Pack game - purchase four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas (or waters) and four chuck-a-pucks starting at just $48.For tickets or more information, call 855-51-STEEL, stop by the Box Office at Fox Valley Ice Arena or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
Youngstown Phantoms 5 at Chicago Steel 1 - Status: Final
Saturday - Fox Valley Ice Arena
Youngstown 1 3 1 - 5
Chicago 0 0 1 - 1
1st Period-1, Youngstown, Pooley 14 (Karow), 4:54. Penalties-Gingell Yng (kneeing, roughing), 16:13.
2nd Period-2, Youngstown, Ellis 3 (Moise), 3:41. 3, Youngstown, Werbik 13 (Esposito, Mahalak), 11:09 (PP). 4, Youngstown, Karow 2 (Pooley, Esposito), 12:32. Penalties-Johnstone Chi (charging), 4:51; Wisocky Yng (hooking), 8:53; Johnstone Chi (tripping), 8:53; Jaremko Chi (tripping), 9:35.
3rd Period-5, Youngstown, Esposito 11 (Esposito), 9:34. 6, Chicago, Badini 19 (Gratton, Seyfert), 15:23. Penalties-Johnstone Chi (high sticking), 3:55; Werbik Yng (high sticking), 8:46; Lutz Chi (diving/embellishment), 8:46; Ellis Yng (boarding, roughing, misconduct-unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:46; Seyfert Chi (roughing), 10:46; Gingell Yng (cross checking), 11:59; Karow Yng (tripping), 16:45; Lewandowski Chi (cross checking), 18:06; Esposito Yng (slashing), 19:57; Green Chi (slashing), 19:57.
Shots on Goal-Youngstown 7-13-6-26. Chicago 7-6-11-24.
Power Play Opportunities-Youngstown 1 / 4; Chicago 0 / 5.
Goalies-Youngstown, Kulbakov 19-9-4-1 (24 shots-23 saves). Chicago, Thome 10-4-1-1 (13 shots-10 saves); Stezka 14-7-0-2 (13 shots-11 saves).
A-1,022
Referees-Justin Keenan (11).
Linesmen-Ian McCambridge (94), Rocco Stachowiak (71).
United States Hockey League Stories from February 4, 2017
- Phantoms Melt Steel 5-1 - Youngstown Phantoms
- Postgame Recap: Hawks Tied at the Top - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Phantoms Menace Steel Saturday - Chicago Steel
- Riders Snatch Victory Away in the Closing Hour - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Pillaged - Madison Capitols
- Stars Stun Lancers 4-2 - Omaha Lancers
- Black Hawks Sling Past Storm, 5-1 - Tri-City Storm
- Media Advisory Stars Respond, Beat Lancers 4-2 - Lincoln Stars
- Lancers Wrap up Home-And-Home with Lincoln - Omaha Lancers
- Game Tonight Lincoln Stars at Omaha Lancers - Lincoln Stars
- Storm Completes Three-Game Week at Waterloo - Tri-City Storm
- Waterloo Offense Excels - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Phantoms Win Back-And-Forth Battle over Chicago 4-3 - Youngstown Phantoms
- Phantoms Creep Past Steel Friday - Chicago Steel
- Hamelin Plays Hero in OT - Omaha Lancers
- Rough Third Period - Madison Capitols
- Stars Fall to Lancers in OT, 2-1 - Lincoln Stars
- Third Period Effort Propels Saints to Win - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Buccaneers Fall to Dubuque 3-1 - Des Moines Buccaneers
- Three in a Row - Green Bay Gamblers
- Stampede Overpowered by Sioux City - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Weissbach's Two-Goal Effort Not Enough in 7-4 Loss - Tri-City Storm
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