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Phantoms' Start Dooms Saints in Game 1

April 20, 2018 - United States Hockey League (USHL) - Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Youngstown Phantoms scored 1:07 into the game, and struck twice in the opening period, setting the stage for the rest of regulation. The Phantoms held on against a Saints surge in the third period to win Game 1 3-1, and take a 1-0 series lead at the Covelli Centre on Friday night.

Chase Gresock, who scored six goals in the regular season against the Fighting Saints, picked up right where he left off right off the bat. Cole Weaver was forced to make three big saves in the opening minute, and after a turnover at the defensive blue line, playmaker Matthew Barry threaded the needle from circle to circle to give Gresock a chance to score.

The Phantoms generated a scoring chance following an opportunity for the Saints to score. Chayse Primeau found a streaking Quinn Preston down the middle, and his shot squeaked through Ivan Prosvetov but wide of the open net. At the other end of the ice, the Phantoms connected. Nick Cardelli found Joey Abate at the netfront, and his initial backhand attempt was denied, but he stuck with it to give Youngstown a decisive 2-0 lead after one period of play.

Youngstown outshot the Fighting Saints 19-6 in the opening period, forcing Weaver to make 17 saves in the first. The Saints' two power plays in the opening period could not connect.

The Phantoms extended their lead early in the second period with a goal generated from traffic. Steve Holtz's slap shot from the top of the right circle found the stick of Barry, for his second point of the night. That goal gave Youngstown its biggest lead of the night at 3-0.

It took a late second-period power play to get the Saints moving offensively. At the tail end of a power play, Roman Kinal's zone entry found Alex Steeves, whose pinpoint dish found Preston on the back post for his third goal of the playoffs, and the goal to cut the lead to one.

The Saints, in all, drew six power play opportunities on a largely undisciplined Phantoms club, but could only strike that one time on Preston's goal. Otherwise, the penalty killers frustrated the Dubuque power play all night long.

Weaver concluded a strong game in net with 31 saves for the Fighting Saints. Prosvetov stopped 33 in the victory, his fourth against the Fighting Saints all season.

Game 2 is Saturday, April 21 at 6:05 p.m. CST. Catch all of the action on Dubuque's Super Hits 106.1 FM, or on the USHL's streaming video provider, HockeyTV.


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