Phantoms Notebook
Published on March 25, 2015 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release
OVERVIEW: The Youngstown Phantoms (36-13-5) made USHL Tier-1 era history (2002-Present) over the weekend, becoming the first team to win 17 games in a row. They earned wins over Waterloo on Friday and Saturday, before picking up a thrilling win over the Chicago Steel on Sunday. In the process, Youngstown also clinched their third playoff spot in team history.
LAST WEEKEND RECAP
FRIDAY: The Youngstown Phantoms (34-13-5) collected a 2-1 win over the Waterloo Black Hawks on Friday night. Forwards Josh Melnick and Josh Nenadal were the goal scorers for the Phantoms, who extend their winning streak to 15 games.
The Black Hawks kept the puck in the Phantoms' end throughout most of the opening period, however the Phantoms drew first blood late in the first, when forward Max Letunov threw a pass to Melnick who was parked out front, and he slammed it past Black Hawk goaltender Cale Morris, giving the Phantoms a 1-0 lead, 16:33 into the frame.
The Phantoms took that lead into the locker room after 20 minutes, and in the second, the Phantoms started to turn the tables and get some good looks on net, however they were not able to solve Morris, and Youngstown took their 1-0 lead into the third period.
In the third, the Phantoms continued to get a number of good looks on goal, however could not find the back of the net. With just 4:20 left, Waterloo forward Brock Boeser lit the lamp on the power play, tying the game, 1-1.
The Phantoms were not deterred, and with just 42 seconds left in regulation after a highlight-reel save from Phantoms goaltender Colin DeAugustine at the other end, forward Chase Pearson sent a pass from the right wing side of the offensive zone to Nenadal who was camped out front, and he slammed home the game-winner against his former team, sending the Phantoms to a 2-1 victory.
SATURDAY: The Youngstown Phantoms clinched a spot in the 2015 Clark Cup Playoffs, with a 4-0 win over the Waterloo Black Hawks on Saturday night. Goaltender Chris Birdsall stopped all 24 shots he faced, while forwards James Winkler, Josh Nenadal, Ryan Lomberg, and Kyle Connor netted the goals for the Phantoms, who tie a USHLTier-1 record (2002-Present) with their 16th consecutive win.
The Phantoms wasted little time getting on the board, as just 5:01 into the first while on the power play, Lomberg threw a pass to Winkler who deflected it past Waterloo goaltender Cale Morris, giving the Phantoms a 1-0 lead.
That lead became 2-0 about seven minutes later, when Nenadal skated over the Waterloo blueline and fired a wrister that rang off the post and in past Morris, 13:28 into the frame.
The Phantoms' lead held up throughout the remainder of the first period, and in the second, it only took 57 seconds for the Phantoms to light the lamp, as a shot from Connor ricocheted off of the end boards and bounced out to the low slot where a wide open Lomberg flipped it over the shoulder of Morris, extending Youngstown's lead to 3-0; a lead the Phantoms took with them into the locker room after 40 minutes.
The Phantoms' special teams struck again early in the third while shorthanded, when Connor picked the puck off of a defender's stick in the left-wing corner of the offensive zone, skated behind the net, and tucked it in on a wrap around, capping the 4-0 win for the Phantoms.
SUNDAY: The Youngstown Phantoms (36-13-5) earned a 4-3 win over the Chicago Steel on Sunday afternoon. Forwards Tyler Sheehy, Kiefer Sherwood, Matt Alvaro, and Kyle Connor scored the goals for the Phantoms, who set a USHL Tier-1 era record (2002-Present) with their 17th consecutive win.
The Phantoms picked up right where they left off on Saturday night. Just 29 seconds into the opening frame, Connor came down the right wing on a 2-on-1 rush and sent a pass to Sheehy who tapped it past Steel goaltender Lassi Yrjola, putting the Phantoms up, 1-0.
After Chicago's Fredrik Olofsson tied the game, 1-1, on the power play a few minutes later, the Phantoms regained the lead late in the frame, when forward Josh Melnick sent a pass to Sherwood who slammed it past Yrjola, giving the Phantoms a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.
The Steel tied the game, 2-2, three and a half minutes into the second on a goal from John Schilling, but the Phantoms were not able to find the back of the net in the period, and the two sides headed to the locker room tied, 2-2.
After the Steel took the lead 2:16 into the third on a goal from Marcel Godbout, the Phantoms knotted the game back up, when Alvaro took possession of the puck in the high slot and cut in front of the net and sniped it past Yrjola while falling, tying the game, 3-3, 4:47 into the period.
The Phantoms continued to apply the pressure, and with under five minutes left, Connor took a pass from Sheehy at the top of the right-wing circle and launched a shot through traffic that beat Yrjola, sealing the 4-3 win for the Phantoms.
UP NEXT: The Phantoms wrap up their five game road trip this weekend with a pair of games in Omaha against the Lancers. This weekend also marks the final games against Western Conference opposition for the regular season.
Next Five Games
Friday, March 27th @ Omaha - Ralston Arena, Ralston, NE - 8:35pm - Broadcast: 1240 WBBW AM, FASTHockey
Saturday, March 28t @ Omaha - Ralston Arena, Ralston, NE - 8:05pm - Broadcast: 1240 WBBW AM, FASTHockey
Saturday, April 4th VS Muskegon - Covelli Centre, Youngstown, OH - 7:05pm - Broadcast: 1240 WBBW AM, FASTHockey
Wednesday, April 8th @ Chicago - The Edge Ice Arena, Bensenville, IL - 11:00am - Broadcast: 1240 WBBW AM, FASTHockey
Friday, April 10th @ Team USA Under 17 - Ann Arbor Ice Cube, Ann Arbor, MI - 7:00pm - Broadcast: 1240 WBBW AM, FASTHockey
3/27
@ Omaha
8:35 pm
3/22
@ Omaha
8:05 pm
4/4
vs Muskegon
7:05 pm
4/8
@ Chicago
11:00 am
4/10
@ USA Under 17
7:00pm
vs
NOTABLES
- The Phantoms set a USHL Tier-1 era (2002-present) for consecutive victories with their 17th win in a row on Sunday over the Chicago Steel
- With their 4-0 win over the Waterloo Black Hawks on Saturday, the Phantoms clinched their third playoff berth in team history.
QUOTABLES
- "It was an emotional game for me. Being here was a big part of my junior hockey career, and it was hard for me to go out there today, but Youngstown is the team that I'm with and couldn't be happier to be a part of this group, and our main focus is winning every game and getting better every period." - Captain Josh Nenadal following Friday's game in Waterloo
- "It's a great testament to our organization from ownership to the front office. I give Jason Koehler, Brad Patterson, John Ronan, Adam Waddell, Jim Schroeder, our whole support staff and most of all, our players, a ton of credit, because with the parity and talent level of the players and coaches in this league it's not easy to do. It's something that will be a part of this group's legacy moving forward wherever they go." - Phantoms Head Coach Anthony Noreen following the Phantoms' 17th win in a row
Youngstown Phantoms Alumni Update
Pro Alumni Update
Brandon Saad (2008-2009) - Played in 71 games with the Chicago Blackhawks this season, registering 21 goals and 24 assists, along with a plus-seven on-ice rating. Jiri Sekac (2009-11) - Traded to the Anaheim Ducks on 2/24. Through 62 games with the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim this season, he has accounted for eight goals and 13 assists Andrej Sustr (2009-10) - Suited up in 66 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, dishing out 11 assists and registering a plus-nine rating while averaging 17:39 TOI. Scott Mayfield (2009-10) - Skated in 57 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) this season, recording 10 assists and a minus-eight rating, and 131 penalty minutes. Nathan Walker (2012-13) - Played in 28 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL), he has a goal along with three assists and a plus two on-ice rating. Tom Serratore (2009-10)- Released by the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL ON 3/18. Played in 29 games this season, recording two goals and seven assists along with a plus-10 rating. Jefferson Dahl (2009-10)- Skated in 34 games with the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL) this season, recording 10 goals and 18 assists
College Alumni Update (Tournament Results)
Big Ten
Play-in
Michigan (Andrew Sinelli) beat Wisconsin 5-1. Sinelli: Goal & Assist Ohio State (Luke Stork) beat Penn State (Taylor Holstrom), 3-1. Holstrom Career: 125 games, 33 goals, 67 assists.
Semifinals
Michigan beat Michigan State, 4-1. Sinelli career: 87 games, 8 goals, 10 assists Ohio State lost to Minnesota, 3-0
Finals
Minnesota beat Michigan 4-2
ECAC
Semifinals
Harvard beat Quinnipiac (Sam Anas, Soren Jonzzon), 5-2. Jonzzon: Goal Colgate beat St Lawrence (Alex Dahl, Eric Sweetman), 4-3 (OT). Sweetman: Goal Quinnipiac will play #2 North Dakota in 1st round of NCAA Tournament
Hockey East
Semifinals
Boston University (JJ Piccinich, Matt O'Connor) beat New Hampshire 4-1. O'Connor: Win, 1 GA, 32 SV
Finals
Boston University beat UMass-Lowell 5-3. O'Connor: Win, 3 GA, 22 SV . Season: 22-3-4, 2.12 GAA, .928 S% Boston University earned #3 overall seed, and will play Yale in 1st round of NCAA Tournament
NCHC
Semifinals
Miami (Alex Gacek, Ben Paulides, Conor Lemirande) beat Denver (Ty Loney) 6-3. Gacek: Goal. Paulides: Assist.
3rd place game
Denver beat North Dakota, 5-1. Loney: Assist
Finals
Miami beat St Cloud State, 3-2 Miami received #4 overall seed will play Providence in the 1st round of NCAA Tournament. Denver plays Boston College (Austin Cangelosi, Quinn Smith) in 1st round of NCAA Tournament. Miami/Providence winner plays Denver/Boston College winner
WCHA
Semifinals
Minnesota State (Dylan Margonari) beat Ferris State (Ryan Lowney), 4-0 Michigan Tech beat Bowling Green (Adam Burkle, Tyler Spezia) 5-2. Berkle Career: 158 games, 31 goals, 53 assists.
Finals
Minnesota State beat Michigan Tech 5-2. Minnesota State got #1 overall seed, will play RIT in 1st round of NCAA Tournament
**Phantoms have 11 alumni on 6 teams in NCAA tournament**
United States Hockey League Stories from March 25, 2015
- Shootout Win Gives Thunder Three Straight - Bloomington Thunder
- Phantoms Notebook - Youngstown Phantoms
- ZOOperstars to Appear at Storm Game Saturday - Tri-City Storm
- USHL Update - Week 26 - USHL
- Former Forward Colton Hargrove Signs with Boston Bruins - Fargo Force
- Alum Ryan Misiak Signs Professional Contract with Reading Royals - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Road Trip Kicks off in Green Bay - Bloomington Thunder
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