Phantoms set for home-and-home with Ice Diggers
Published on November 4, 2004 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
Boardman, Ohio (Thursday, November 4, 2004) -- The Youngstown Phantoms Junior-A hockey club enters the third month of the North American Hockey League season with a record of 8-4-0. After notching back-to-back victories over the Toledo Ice Diggers and Cleveland Barons on home ice last weekend, the Phantoms have now won seven of their last eight games after a 1-3-0 start.
This weekend, Youngstown will face Toledo (9-7-1) in a home-and-home series. The two teams will meet tomorrow (Friday, November 5) at 7:00 p.m. at The Ice Zone in Boardman and then at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday (November 6) at the Team Toledo Ice House. Youngstown will enter the weekend tied with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs (8-8-0) for third place in the NAHL North, but every team in the division besides the Phantoms has played either 16 or 17 games. Youngstown is a perfect 3-0-0 against Toledo this season, and a pair of wins in regulation this weekend would catapult the Phantoms over the Ice Diggers in the standings.
A huge factor in Youngstown's success has been the team's number-one line -- which includes left wing Aaron Rhyner, center Rob Rassey and right wing Anthony Canzoneri. They were the Phantoms' top three scorers last season, and they are again this season. Rhyner leads the team with 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists), Rassey is second with 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists) and right behind is Canzoneri with 19 points
(5 goals, 14 assists). The trio has also combined to score nine of the team's 16 power-play goals and four game-winning goals. Rhyner, Rassey and Canzoneri are also playing disciplined hockey, as evidenced by the fact that they have only 14 combined penalty minutes over 12 games.
"I told them as long as it's working they're going to stay together," Phantoms' Head Coach & General Manager Bob Mainhardt said. "All three of them are working very hard and playing the way you would expect veterans to play. As long as they keep up their end of the bargain, I don't really see a reason for splitting them up. They have a lot of offensive ability. That something that's hard to teach, it's more God-given. But they're playing well in all areas of the game."
Tickets for tomorrow night's game with Toledo -- and all Phantoms' home games -- are available by calling (330) 965-7500 or visiting The Ice Zone, located at 360 McClurg Road. Tickets are also available at the door on game nights.
For more information about the Youngstown Phantoms, members of the media should contact Jim Lachimia at (412) 708-9301 or jlatch@zoominternet.net. The latest news regarding the Phantoms is also available on the team's official website www.youngstownphantoms.com and at www.nahl.com.
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- Phantoms set for home-and-home with Ice Diggers - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
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