Phantoms Sink Buccaneers 4-1

October 7, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release

YOUNGSTOWN, OH - The Youngstown Phantoms (3-2-0-0, 6pts) may have let off the gas in the third period the night before, but they did no such thing on this evening as they protected a 2-1 lead entering the final frame and turned it into a 4-1 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers Saturday night at the Covelli Centre.

"(After the second period) we talked about becoming a young team that's learning how to win," said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward. "I thought they did a great job. I thought we didn't take our foot off the gas. I thought we attacked. I thought we smelled blood and I thought we got after it. That's what you want to see with a young team."

Youngstown grabbed a 1-0 lead in the middle portion of the first period. Charlie Cerrato's aggressive forecheck forced a turnover in the left circle. Grant Young corralled the bouncing puck and fed Ryan Botterill, who wrister sent the water bottle behind Jonathan Reinholdt (25 saves) flying at 12:58 as the puck hit the twine for his third goal of the season. "I like playing with those guys. We've been playing really well together and have a lot of chemistry." said Botterill. "I saw Younger get the puck right there, I called for it and just let it go, wasn't thinking too much else."

Braden Rourke put a wrister behind Owen Bartoszkiewicz (25 saves) at 18:20 of the first as the lone blemish on the Phantom netminder's record for the evening, but it did not take long for the Phantoms to answer back. Andrew Strathmann tallied a 5-on-3 power play goal at 4:12 of the second, beating Reinholdt with a low wrister from the left side. It was Strathmann's second goal of the season, giving him goals in back-to-back games and a six-game scoring streak.

The Youngstown power play struck again in the third period, putting a second man-advantage goal behind Reinholdt. Mikey Burchill's wrister from the right circle found its way through traffic and behind a screened Reinholdt at 10:08 as Des Moines gave Youngstown nine power plays on the night despite entering the game having allowed just 10 power plays through their first four games.

If Burchill's goal put the game out of reach for Des Moines, the goal by Adam Pietila ended all doubt of the outcome. At the end of a Phantoms penalty kill, a Buccaneer pass back to the blue line eluded the point man for Des Moines and came right to Pietila as he was stepping out of the box. With Botterill driving the middle and drawing the defense, Pietila did a toe drag to the middle and snapped a wrister from 15 feet out behind Reinholdt at 16:04 for his fourth goal of the season, capping off the scoring. The Youngstown penalty kill was 6-for-6 on this night and remains unblemished on the season.

The Phantoms wrapped up their three-game homestand outscoring their opponents 21-4 in going undefeated and are above .500 in October for the first time since 2019, but will now take to the road for the next four games. Youngstown's first road trip of the year includes stops in Lincoln, Madison, and Chicago before returning home for a five-game homestand beginning October 27 against the Sioux Falls Stampede.

By the Numbers

Shots - 29

Saves - 25

Power Play - 2/9

Penalty Kill - 6/6

Goals - Botterill, Burchill, Pietila, Strathmann

Assists - Botterill, Burchill, Cerrato (2), Strathmann, Young

Youngstown Phantoms' James Fisher in action (Scott Galvin/Scott Galvin Photography)

United States Hockey League Stories from October 7, 2023

• Stars Fall to Capitols Home Opener - Lincoln Stars
• Boisvert Collects 3 Points in 8-2 Win Over Chicago on Flaunt Your Flannel Festival - Muskegon Lumberjacks
• Lancers Fall in a Fiesty Matchup with the Roughriders - Omaha Lancers
• Madison Beats Lincoln 6-1 on Road, Improves to 4-0-0-0 on Season - Madison Capitols
• Phantoms Sink Buccaneers 4-1 - Youngstown Phantoms
• Capitols Steal Stars' Home Opener - Lincoln Stars
• Hawks Suffer in the Siouxland - Waterloo Black Hawks
• Stampede Sticks Together To Claim Win Over Black Hawks - Sioux Falls Stampede
• Gamblers Fall Short in Exciting Home Opener - Green Bay Gamblers
• Madison Beats Lincoln 6-1 on Road, Improves to 4-0-0-0 on Season - Madison Capitols
• Des Moines Drops Pair on the Road - Des Moines Buccaneers
• Oliver Makes College Commitment - Lincoln Stars
• Phantoms Knock off Steel 5-3 - Youngstown Phantoms

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