Phantoms seek revenge in Alpena
Published on February 8, 2007 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
BOARDMAN, Ohio - The Mahoning Valley Phantoms travel to Alpena, Mich. to face the Ice Diggers on Feb. 9-10 at Northern Lights Arena. Face-off both nights is at 7 p.m. and will be webcast on www.mvpphantoms.com.
The Ice Diggers swept the Phantoms when the teams last met, by identical 5-4 scores, on Jan. 13-14 in Alpena. On the season, the Phantoms are 6-2 against Alpena with eight games remaining against the Ice Diggers.
"The last time we faced one another, we were pretty banged up," Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt said. "We're a lot healthier now and we'll be ready for the challenge."
The Phantoms, 34-10-1 for 69 points, lead Alpena, 30-13-2 for 62 points, in the chase for the top spot in the North Division.
The season debut of left wing and second-year Phantom Drew Satterley paid immediate dividends for the Phantoms in their sweep of the North Stars in Traverse City on Feb. 2-3.
Satterley, a native of Kentwood, Mich., recorded an assist in each game, helping the Phantoms win comfortably by scores of 5-1 and 7-2.
With the Phantoms last season, Satterley was second on the team with 27 goals and third with 58 points. At 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, Satterley will provide some help in an area that Mainhardt says the team can use.
"Drew gives us some size and a physical side that we may have been lacking a little bit, so that helps us out quite a bit," Mainhardt said.
Satterley's forward line with Janis Purins and Johnny Meo combined for four of the Phantoms' 12 goals last weekend.
Purins scored three of his line's goals and added an assist to win the North American Hockey League/Sherwood North Division Player of the Week award this week.
Purins, a native of Riga, Latvia, became the fifth different Phantom to win the award this season, joining three-time recipient Ryan Zapolski, Nathan Longpre, Chad Boeckman and Alden Hirschfeld.
Purins has scored at least one goal in each of his last four games. That current streak is tops in the NAHL. He has 12 goals and five assists in 36 games this season. During the season, Purins lives with Phantoms host family Bob and Pauline Ervin of New Middletown.
For Meo, he enters this weekend with a four-game assist streak, logging six helpers over that span to give him 20 on the season.
The Mahoning Valley Phantoms are owned by the B.J. Alan Company- Phantom Fireworks, which is headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio.
North American Hockey League Stories from February 8, 2007
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