USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms Notebook: Week No. 10

Published on November 21, 2013 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Fresh off a weekend split with the rival Muskegon Lumberjacks, the Youngstown Phantoms head west this week for a pair of inter-conference clashes. The Phantoms (6-11-1, 13 points) will take on the Lincoln Stars Friday night at the Ice Box in Lincoln, Neb., and face off against the Sioux City Musketeers the following night at the Tyson Events Center in Western Iowa.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Game No. 17: Letunov's Hat Trick Propels Phantoms to 5-3 Win Over Lumberjacks

The buzz heading into last Friday night's vs. the Lumberjacks (9-7-3, 21 points) centered on the return of head coach Anthony Noreen and leading scorer Kyle Connor but it Maxim Letunov stole the spotlight. The Russian rookie notched his first career USHL hat trick to lead the Phantoms to a 5-3 win over the Lumberjacks at the Covelli Centre. Robbie DeMontis put Muskegon in front less than two minutes into the game but Youngstown got goals from Zach Evancho and Letunov 18 second apart to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission. The 'Jacks tied it up early in the second on a 5-on-3 goal from former Phantom Blake Christensen but Letunov scored a pair on the power play to put the home team back up for good. Connor added an empty-net goal with just two seconds left in regulation and goaltender Colin DeAugustine made 22 saves to pick up his fourth win of the season.

Game No. 18: Lumberjacks Slip Past Phantoms With Last-Second Goal

The Lumberjacks led for a total of 14.8 second Saturday night but it happened to be the last 14.8 seconds of regulation as they slipped past the Phantoms to pick up a 4-3 win in the second of the home-and-home set. Matt Mendleson netted the game-winner in the dying seconds of the third and added another goal but netminder Eric Schierhorn was the hero for Muskegon turning away 33 shots including all 15 thrown his way in the third. The Phantoms led three different times thanks to goals from Kiefer Sherwood, Connor and Tyler Spezia (short-handed), but the 'Jacks were able to draw even each time. DeAugustine finished with 29 saves.

LOOSE PUCKS

-- After helping lead Team USA to gold at the World Junior A Challenge in Nova Scotia, it seemed a fair to ask if Kyle Connor might need some time to re-acclimate to the USHL. A fair question, maybe, but the answer was a resounding 'No' as the 16-year-old racked up 2-1-3 over the home-and-home with Muskegon to remain atop the Youngstown scoring list.

-- NHL Central Scouting released its November "Players to Watch" list for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft late last week and four Phantoms forwards - Maxim Letunov, JJ Piccinich, Kiefer Sherwood and Luke Stork - were all included. Letunov and Sherwood may have raised their stock over the weekend recording three points apiece vs. the Lumberjacks. Team USA and the Dubuque Fighting Saints were the only USHL teams with more players on the list.

-- Defenseman Tommy Parran became the 13th player on the current Phantoms roster to earn a NCAA Division I scholarship when he committed to Brown University Tuesday. The first-year defenseman from Shaker Heights, Ohio has steadily worked his way up the Youngstown depth chart this season and recorded his first USHL point Nov. 9 vs. the Fargo Force. Parran is expected to enroll at Brown in fall 2015.

-- The Phantoms have recalled affiliate forward Grant Meyer from the Cleveland Baron Under-18 AAA team. Youngstown's 12th-round pick (174th overall) in the 2013 USHL Phase II Draft, Meyer leads the Barons with 22 goals thus far this season and also serves as the team's captain. He is will wear No. 14 for the Phantoms and is expected to make his USHL debut Friday night vs. the Lincoln Stars

THE WEEK AHEAD

Game No. 19: Friday, Nov. 22 at 8:05 p.m. EST - Youngstown at Lincoln

The Phantoms and Stars (3-9-4, 10 points) face off of the second and final time this season Friday night at the Ice Box in Lincoln, Neb. One of the perennial Western Conference powers, the Stars have fallen back to Earth this season and picked up just their third win - the fewest in the USHL - last Saturday with a 2-1 victory over the struggling Des Moines Buccaneers. Youngstown came away with a 1-0 overtime win when the teams met earlier this season at the Covelli Centre thanks to 29-save shutout performance from goaltender Sean Romeo and the overtime heroics of Connor and JJ Piccinich. With that win the Phantoms improved to 5-2-3 all-time vs. the Stars including 3-0-2 at the Ice Box.

Game No. 20: Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. EST - Youngstown at Sioux City

The Phantoms wrap up their western swing Saturday night in Sioux City, Iowa when they take on the Musketeers (10-5-1, 21 points). The 'Muskies' have enjoyed a turnaround in their first season under coach Jay Varday and enter the weekend fourth in the Western Conference standings despite losing three straight games, including a sweep at the hands of the Indiana Ice last weekend. Three-year USHL veteran Jared Thomas has led the way for the Musketeers with 4-16-20 through 16 games while rookie forward Brandon Hawkins has helped ease the departure of 2012-13 USHL Rookie of the Year Jake Guentzel with 10 goals and 13 points in just 14 games. This is the Phantoms first and only trip to Tyson Events Center, where they are 0-3-1 all-time.

THEY SAID IT

"We've shown a lot of belief in the guys sitting in our room and we challenged them to prove that we're right - that we do have the right character and people to win."

-- Head coach Anthony Noreen.

PHANTOMS LEADERS

Points: Kyle Connor (7-12-19, 6th in USHL)

Goals: JJ Piccinich (9)

Assists: Connor (12, T-5th in USHL)

Power-Play Goals: Piccinich (5, T-1st in USHL)

Short-Handed Goals: Tyler Spezia (1, T-3rd in USHL)

Plus/Minus: Alex Smith (plus-1)

Penalty Minutes: Josh Nenadal (38)

Points by a Defenseman: Kyle Mackey (1-4-5)

Wins: Colin DeAugustine (4)

Goals Against Average: DeAugustine (2.95)

Save Percentage: DeAugustine (.898)

Shutouts: DeAugustine, Sean Romeo (1, T-4th in USHL)

ALUMNI WATCH

-- Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad (Mahoning Valley Phantoms, 2008-09) went on a tear last week racking up four points (two goals, two assists) in as many games for the defending Stanley Cup champions. Saad notched a goal in a 5-4 win over the Phoenix Coyotes and tallied a pair of assists in a 5-1 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. He also scored the 'Hawks lone goal in a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

-- Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Andrej Sustr (2009-10) tallied a pair of assists in a 6-3 loss to Phoenix last Saturday.

-- Hershey Bears forward Nathan Walker (2012-13) racked up three goals in a pair of wins over the Charlotte Checkers last week. The Australian forward 4-2-6 in 11 games with the Washington Capitals' American Hockey League Affiliate this season.

-- Boston College forward Austin Cangelosi (2011-13) scored a pair of goals and added an assist last week. The Phantoms' all-time points leader notched a goal for the No. 7 Eagles in a 2-2 tie with Massachusetts last Friday and added a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win over Harvard Wednesday.

-- Princeton forward Michael Ambrosia (2010-12) scored a goal and forward Jonathan Liau (2011-12) and Tommy Davis (2012-13) assisted on the overtime winner as the Tigers downed rival Dartmouth 5-4 last Friday. Liau and Ambrosia both notched assists the following night as well in a 5-3 loss to Harvard.

-- Minnesota forward Tommy Serratore (2009-10) notched a goal as the No. 1-ranked Gophers shut out rival Minnesota State 3-0 last Saturday.

-- Boston University goaltender Matthew O'Connor (2010-12) turned away 28 shots to backstop the Terriers to a 4-1 win over Connecticut last Sunday.

-- Bemidji State forward Danny Mattson (2010-11) scored a goal last Friday in a 4-1 win over Alaska-Anchorage.

EVENTS AND PROMOTIONS

Friday, Dec. 6: "Teddy Bear Toss" Sponsored by Hot 101 FM

The fur will fly Friday, Dec. 6 when the Phantoms take on the Chicago Steel in their annual Teddy Bear Toss game to benefit Marine Corps Toys for Tots. Fans who bring a teddy bear or other stuffed animal to the Covelli Centre box office can purchase tickets at a discounted rate and teddy bears will also be available for purchase for just $5 in the arena. Then once the Phantoms score their first goal, fans are asked to celebrate for throwing their teddy bears on the ice and all stuffed animals will be gathered and donated to Toys for Tots. For more information call 330.747.PUCK.

Single game tickets are on sale now for all Phantoms' home games at the Covelli Centre. Phantoms 10-Game Flex Plans are also available starting at the low price of just $89. Call 330.747.PUCK (7825) for more information or to reserve seats today. For all the latest news, visit www.YoungstownPhantoms.com, follow the Phantoms on Twitter (@YtownPhantoms) and 'like' them on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/YoungstownPhantoms).

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United States Hockey League Stories from November 21, 2013


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