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USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms Selection Camp Closes, Tough Decisions Await

June 11, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


BOARDMAN, Ohio - The Youngstown Phantoms 2013 Selection Camp came to a close Monday afternoon with the final intrasquad game at held at the Ice Zone, but for head coach and general manager Anthony Noreen and his staff, the real work is just beginning. After watching dozens of players - and nearly a dozen games - over the three days, the Phantoms brain trust must whittle down roster for training camp and the USHL preseason this fall.

"In my four years with this organization, I thought this was the most competitive camp we've had," Noreen said. "That speaks volumes, not just of the job that [assistant GM and director of player personnel] Jason Koehler and [assistant coaches] Brad Patterson and Rob Rassey did out on the road this year, but also the growth of our program with the type of players we've been able to attract here to Youngstown."

The final competition of camp, Monday's "All-Star" game went to the Black team - led by returning Phantom veteran forwards Kyle Connor and JJ Piccinich and defenseman Jimmy Mazza - which came away with a 7-2 victory over the White team. Forward Luke Stork, scored one of two goals for the White team, and was joined by returning forward Mac MacSorley and defensemen Kale Bennett and Kyle Mackey.

With five of Youngstown's top six scorers last season set to make the jump to the college and professional ranks, Noreen said he was encouraged by the performance of his veterans at camp.

"All of our returners have made strides," he said. "You watch the All-Star game and our veteran guys look like veteran guys. That's what we expect and that's the great thing about this league - the step from year one to year two. We expect those guys to come back and carry the load."

"They've got big shoes to fill from guys that have left," he added, such as the franchise's all-time points leader Austin Cangelosi and all-time goals leader Sam Anas.

Though the returners commanded much attention, there were plenty of new faces that made strong bids for a spot on the 2013-14 Phantoms. Forward Kiefer Sherwood, who appeared in a nine games as a Phantoms' affiliate player last season, had a standout performance for the White team, adding an assist on Stork's goal and putting on an impressive stick-handling display.

The Black team on the other hand got strong showings from young defensemen Steven Ruggiero, the team's first-round pick in Phase 1 of the USHL Draft, and Jakob Chychrun, a 6-foot-2 15-year-old, who both chipped in with late goals and both displayed great poise from the backend.

With so much talent at camp and so few spots on a USHL roster, the third-year head coach said difficult decisions will need to be made, but it's a good problem to have.

"Competition breeds success," Noreen said. "We're going to let these guys battle it out themselves throughout the preseason and at the end of the day, we're going to take the guys who we feel fit our mold the best, give us the best chance to win and are the type of people we want here. I can guarantee this: there are more than 23 of those guys in our system right now. We're excited about what we have for next year and extremely excited for what we have for the future as well

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