Phantoms play for league's best record
Published on March 29, 2007 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
BOARDMAN, Ohio - The Mahoning Valley Phantoms enter the final weekend of the North American Hockey League's regular season with one last mission before tackling the playoffs next week.
With a win over the U.S. National Team on Friday or Saturday, the Phantoms will secure the league's best overall record for the 2006-2007 season. Face-off at the Ice Zone Friday night is at 7 p.m.
Saturday's season finale is set for 2:30 p.m. The first 100 fans in attendance will receive a free ticket to the Mahoning Valley Thunder's franchise-opener at the Chevrolet Centre at 7 p.m.
The Phantoms, 45-14-1 and 91 points, lead the St. Louis Bandits, 43-14-3 and 89 points, for the league's top mark.
Should the Phantoms split their weekend series and the Bandits win their final two games at Texas this weekend, the Phantoms would still capture the regular season title by virtue of more wins than St. Louis.
Center Dustin Cloutier's four-point performance last week gave him 79 points, breaking Marc Menzione's team scoring record of 75, set last season. Cloutier is tied for fourth in NAHL scoring.
Goaltender Ryan Zapolski, who will finish as the league leader in wins, currently leads the league in save percentage at .928. Fairbanks' Kenny Reiter, whose regular season ended last week, follows at .926.
Captain and left wing Chris Fairbanks, who leads the Phantoms with 18 points in 13 games versus Team USA, has registered an assist in five consecutive games.
The Phantoms have announced playoff dates for their best-of-five semifinal series against the Marquette Rangers.
The top-seeded Phantoms will host games one and two at the Ice Zone on Thursday and Friday, Apr. 5-6 before traveling to Marquette for games three and four, if necessary, on Monday and Tuesday, Apr. 9-10.
Games three and four will both be played at the Berry Events Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University.
Should the series require a game five, it will be played at the Ice Zone on Saturday, Apr. 14. All five games will have a 7:30 p.m. start time.
Team USA (28-28-4) will meet the Alpena Ice Diggers in the other North Division semifinal series.
The Mahoning Valley Phantoms are owned by the B.J. Alan Company- Phantom Fireworks, which is headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio.
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