Phantoms Tounce Traverse City, Secure Second Place in North
March 15, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release
BOARDMAN, Ohio (Saturday, March 15, 2008) - Stefan Salituro slotted two goals, while Derek Graham, Alden Hirschfeld, Kyle Bailey and Miles Winter each collected multi-point nights in leading the Phantoms to a 7-2 triumph over the Traverse City North Stars on Saturday night in front of nearly 700 fans at the Ice Zone in Boardman.
With the win, the Phantoms (32-17-4, 68 points) clinched second place in the North American Hockey League North Division, and secured the home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Seconds after their powerplay ended, the Phantoms cashed in to draw first blood. Hirschfeld was left alone at the top of the crease to one-time home Graham's pass from the corner 9:42 into the opening period. Hirschfeld's 14th of the season gave the Phantoms a 1-0 lead.
With just 28 seconds left, Traverse City's Nathan Urbaniak slotted his 24th of the year to tie the game at 1-1 heading into the first intermission.
It was all Phantoms from there. Bailey and Salituro put Mahoning Valley up 3-1 before Urbaniak's second of the night cut the lead back to one.
Salituro's second of the night and Winter's 21st of the season, both with the man-advantage, catapulted the Phantoms out to a 5-2 lead. Scott Moser's 30-foot blast with just 22 seconds left put the Phantoms up by four after 40 minutes.
Jon Madden's second goal of the season 7:57 into the third period brought the final margin to five.
The Phantoms went 3 for 8 with the powerplay, while holding the North Stars to just one goal on 12 attempts.
Jordan Tibbett stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced, upping his record to 10-9-1 on the season and putting a halt to the North Stars' (21-20-12, 54 points) 11-game unbeaten streak.
The same two teams go at it again on Sunday afternoon. Game time at the Ice Zone is slated for 3 p.m. The Phantoms will once again be wearing special edition, green St. Patrick's Day jerseys that will be auctioned off to fans during and after the game.
Catch all the action live on the web at www.mvpphantoms.com. The Mahoning Valley Phantoms are owned by the B.J. Alan Company - Phantom Fireworks, located in Youngstown, Ohio.
North American Hockey League Stories from March 15, 2008
- U.S. National Under-17 Team Settles for Split With St. Louis - U.S. National Team
- Stars fall, 7-2 - Traverse City North Stars
- Phantoms Tounce Traverse City, Secure Second Place in North - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- NHL Legend Bobby Hull Comes To Springfield Today - Springfield Jr. Blues
- RoadRunners achieve lofty goal - Topeka Pilots
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