Phantoms sweep Rangers for 12th straight win
Published on November 26, 2006 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Mahoning Valley Phantoms defeated the Marquette Rangers 5-1 at Lakeview Arena on Sunday to win their 12th consecutive game.
With the win, the Phantoms, 18-7-1, jumped into a tie first place in the North American Hockey League's North Division with the Alpena Ice Diggers. Alpena, 18-6-1, and the Phantoms both have 37 points.
Dustin Cloutier led the Phantoms with two goals and two assists. Chad Boeckman added two third-period goals and Miles Winter chipped in three assists. Derek Graham assisted on two Phantom goals, extending his point scoring and assist streaks to seven games.
The Phantoms set an immediate tone in the first period, forcing a turnover to set up their first goal. Nathan Longpre stole the puck behind the Rangers net and quickly found Cloutier charging in between the circles.
Cloutier's caught Longpre's pass on the tape and fired a snap shot high over the stick side of goaltender Matt Brooker. Just 73 seconds into the game, the Phantoms led 1-0.
"We didn't want to give the Rangers a quick lead like we did the last two nights," Cloutier said. "Longer (Longpre) made a great play behind the net and hit me in stride."
Cloutier would add an assist later in the period. After passing to Miles Winter on the left wing, Cloutier skated toward the net again, as Winter fed Eric Ringel on the left point. Ringel used Cloutier's screen in front to fire a wrist shot past a blinded Brooker at the 12:09 mark.
Ringel's fifth goal of the season extended the Phantoms' lead to 2-0. Mahoning Valley outshot Marquette 18-11 in the opening 20 minutes.
The Phantoms added to their lead in the second period on the power play, after the Rangers' Raymond Gillies cross-checked Phantoms' captain Chris Fairbanks in the face.
Trent Bonnett fired a hard pass to Derek Graham on the left wing goal line for a scoring chance. Unable to shoot, Graham controlled the puck flat and tapped a nifty pass to an open Cloutier at the top of the crease.
Cloutier roofed the puck high over Brooker's glove for his second goal of the afternoon. Cloutier's 11th goal of the season came with just three seconds remaining in the penalty to Gillies. At the 10-minute mark of the period, the midway point of the game, the Phantoms took further control at 3-0.
Boeckman's first goal of the game came on the power play at 1:39 of the third period on a pass from Cloutier.
Nick Kosinski ruined the Phantoms' bid for a shutout when he scored shorthanded with 5:40 remaining.
But Boeckman returned the advantage to four goals with 3:19 left in regulation. Twice, he blocked Ranger clearing attempts before Winter blocked a third inside the Marquette blue line.
Winter forwarded the puck ahead to Matt Quigley, who then passed to Boeckman on the edge of the right goal line. Alone, Boeckman tapped the puck past a helpless Brooker for his eighth goal of the season.
The Phantoms return home for a weekend series against the U.S. National Team on Dec. 1-2 at the Ice Zone in Boardman. Face-off both nights is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (330) 965-7500.
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 November 26, 2006
- Schroeder's OT Goal Lifts U.S. Nat'l Under-17 Team Past Traverse City - U.S. National Team
- Stars lose 4-1 lead, game in OT - Traverse City North Stars
- Phantoms sweep Rangers for 12th straight win - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
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