Phantoms Penalty Kill Shines, Defeat Fargo 2-1
Published on March 4, 2011 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Youngstown Phantoms (20-24-4,44pts) killed off eleven Fargo power plays on the way to a 2-1 victory on Friday night. Dylan Margonari scored the game winning goal in the second period and the Phantoms picked up their league leading 16th win in one goal games.
The deck was stacked against the Phantoms in the first period when five consecutive penalties were issued against Youngstown. Jordan Tibbett stopped all 18 Fargo shots and a number of key blocks by Nilan Nagy sent the Phantoms into the break tied at zero.
"We needed our guys to step up," said head coach Curtis Carr. "With players like Sinelli, Higgins and Bradley out, we knew guys would have to step up in different roles. Margonari, Nagy and Stevens all stepped up and really played well in some unfamiliar situations."
The Phantoms killed off a carryover penalty against Scott Mayfield but just three minutes into the second period Garrett Haar beat Tibbett to give Fargo the early lead. It took five and a half minutes, but the Phantoms would respond on their first power play of the night. Danny Mattson made a quick pass to Ryan Belonger who was wide open on the back post. Belonger buried the puck one a one-timer that beat Ryan Massa to tie the game at one. The goal gives Belonger four power play goals on the season. The Phantoms would find the go ahead goal and the eventual game winner when JT Stenglein intercepted a Fargo pass in the neutral zone. Stenglein hit a trailing Dylan Margonari just inside of the Fargo blueline. Margonari skated into the slot and fired a wrist shot past the blocker hand of Massa to put the Phantoms up 2-1.
The Phantoms would again kill of a carryover penalty, this time to Mike Ambrosia at the start of the third period. The Phantoms would kill of two, 5-on-3's in the third and they held Fargo to a game low nine shots on goal. The Phantoms killed off two 5-on-3's and one 6-on-3 late in the third period. The Phantoms are now 16-7-4 in one goal games, which is best in the USHL.
"Tonight was a twenty guy effort," said Carr. "Guys really stepped up to the plate tonight. We are really, really happy with the effort and it was a real, complete team win."
Tibbett echoed his coach's statement after tonight's one goal victory.
"We battled through adversity in that first period," said Tibbett. "Games like this really help our team grow and it really builds our character. We grit our teeth and we pushed through and that will definitely help us down the stretch run."
The game's second star, Phantoms netminder Tibbett, made 40 out of 41 saves and stopped a penalty shot in the first period.
"This is what we expect out of Jordan," said Carr. "There were a lot of shots and he definitely kept us in the game during the first period. After that, we settled down and we allowed him to see all the shots that they [Fargo] took."
The Phantoms take on the Waterloo Black Hawks tomorrow night, a team that trails the Phantoms by seven points for the six place spot in the east. The Phantoms also have some extra motivation after the last game where a cheap shot by Andrew Panzarella turned into a five-on-five line brawl. When asked if his team's needs any extra motivation, Carr responded with a quick, "No."
United States Hockey League Stories from March 4, 2011
- Rally Without Results - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Phantoms Penalty Kill Shines, Defeat Fargo 2-1 - Youngstown Phantoms
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- Saints Cruse To 6-1 Win In Sioux City - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Former Stampede Forward Holmstrom Makes NHL Debut - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Two Home Games this Weekend - Sioux City Musketeers
- Saints and Muskies Set for Western Conference Showdown - Dubuque Fighting Saints
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