USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Playoff Notebook: Round 2

Published on April 25, 2013 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


DUBUQUE, Iowa - Fresh off knocking off the defending Clark Cup champion Green Bay Gamblers, the Youngstown Phantoms are enjoying an unprecedented playoff run. But they face their greatest obstacle yet when the take on the No. 1 seed in the East and regular season champion Dubuque Fighting Saints in the Eastern Conference Finals, which are set to get underway Friday in Dubuque.

The First Round In Review

Game No. 1: Phantoms Can't Overcome Slow Start, Drop Series Opener To Green Bay 3-1

The Phantoms hit a lull midway through the opening period and it was enough for the Gamblers to pry away the win in Game 1. Green Bay notched three goals over the final nine minutes of the first period and turned to goaltender Tony Kujava to secure a 3-1 win and take Game 1 of the best-of-five opening round series. Right wing John Padulo scored the lone goal for the Phantoms, his first in his first career postseason game. Youngtown outshot the Gamblers 23-12 over the final two periods and 28-25 on the whole.

Game No. 2: Phantoms Score 3 In 3rd, Down Gamblers 4-2 To Even Series

Trailing 2-1 and facing the prospect of a 2-0 series deficit heading back to Youngstown, the Phantoms scored three goals over the final 20 minutes to down the Gamblers to take Game 2 of the series last Thursday in Green Bay. First-year forward JJ Piccinich evened the score 2:51 into the third and Padulo put the Phantoms in front on the power play less than three minutes later. Sam Anas found the back of the net to put Youngstown up two with less than nine minutes remaining. Goaltender Sean Romeo was sharp turning away 23 of 25 shots, and Cam Brown also scored a power-play marker as the Phantoms went 2-for-3 on the man-advantage.

Game No. 3: Brown, Power Play Remain Red-Hot As Phantoms Take Game 3

Last year the Phantoms returned Youngstown after splitting the first pair of games in Green Bay, only to see the Gamblers win two straight at the Covelli Centre and end their season. History, however, would not repeat itself in Game 3 as the Phantoms scored a pair of goals in the first two minutes of the second, and added another in the final minute of the middle period en route to a 4-2 victory. Brown led the way with a pair of power-play goals and as the Youngstown went 2-for-5 on the man-advantage while perhaps even more impressive, going 4-for-4 on the penalty kill against the high-powered Green Bay offense. Markus McCrea scored the eventual game-winner and Anas found the back of the net for the second straight night as the Phantoms took a 2-1 series lead over the No. 2-seed Gamblers.

Game No. 4: Jackpot: Phantoms Knock Off Defending Champs, Advance To Conference Finals

The Youngstown Phantoms, as they had throughout the series and throughout the season, came from behind in the third period to win 3-1 and eliminate the defending champion Green Bay Gamblers Sunday at the Covelli Centre. Brown was Youngstown's hero once again, scoring the game-winner with less than six minutes remaining in the final period after a failed clearing attempted led to a free-for-all in front of the Gamblers' net. Luke Stork tied the game in the second period and Alexander Dahl, scored an empty net goal with 22 seconds remaining assure the win and clinch the series 3-1. Romeo turned away 25 of 26 to seal the win punch the Phantoms' ticket to the conference finals.

Loose Pucks

-- The Phantoms avenged last year's playoff loss to the Gamblers under eerily similar circumstances. The series was tied 1-1 last year when it resumed in Youngtown only to see Green Bay take Games 3 and 4. The Gamblers came back in the third period to clinch Game 4 in 2012, just as the Phantoms did this year.

-- It's been a long wait for John Padulo, but in his fifth and of junior hockey, and final year of eligibility, he finally made the playoffs for the first time and is playing his best hockey yet. The scrappy winger scored a pair of goals in four games, including the Game-2-winner. He also assisted on the game-winning goal Sunday to clinch the series.

-- One of the reasons the Phantoms acquired Cam Brown back in November was his postseason experience, having won back-to-back Eastern Junior Hockey League championships with the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs the past two seasons. Through one round, it appears to have paid off as the pint-sized pivot leads Youngstown with four goals and is the USHL's postseason leader with three power-play tallies.

-- About the power play: the Phantoms went 4-for-14 on the man-advantage in their opening-round series against the Gamblers, converting at a clip of 28.6 percent. Youngstown finished the regular season in the middle of the pack - eighth in the 16-team league - on the power play with a middling 16.6 percent conversion rate.

-- Meanwhile, the Youngstown penalty kill, which ranked No. 1 during the regular season at 86 percent, is maintaining course in the playoffs at 85.7 percent. The Phantoms killed off nine straight penalties to close out the Gamblers over Games 2-4.

-- The Phantoms outscored their opponents 84-65 in the third period during the regular season and outscored the Gamblers 5-1 in the in the first round. Dubuque was the USHL's stingiest team in the final period during the regular season allowing just 43 third-period goals, but was outscored 4-1 by the Muskegon Lumberjacks in their opening-round series.

Eastern Conference Finals Preview

The No. 3 seed Phantoms face the No. 1 seed in the East, the Dubuque Fighting Saints, who captured the Anderson Cup for the USHL's best record (45-11-8, 98 points) in the regular season in the best-of-five Eastern Conference Finals, which are set to get underway Friday evening. The Fighting Saints swept the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the opening round of the Clark Cup playoffs, clinching the series in overtime with game-winner from forward Frankie DiChiara Sunday. The Yale commit leads the Saints in postseason scoring with five points (two goals, three assists) and he was tied for a team-high six points over five regular season games against the Phantoms. Dubuque took the season series 4-1, but after being held to a combined three goals in the first three games, Youngstown scored four in each of the final two and took the final meeting winning 4-3 on the road March 14. The Phantoms were outshot 17-4 in the opening period but got goals from Cam Brown and Austin Cangelosi on two of those four shots as they handed Saints one of just three regulation losses at the Mystique Community Ice Center.

Eastern Conference Finals Schedule

Game 1: Friday, April 26, 2013 at 8:35 p.m. at Mystique Community Ice Center

Game 2: Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 8:05 p.m. at Mystique Community Ice Center

Game 3: Monday, April 29, 2013 at 7:15 p.m. at the Covelli Centre

Game 4: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 7:15 p.m. at the Covelli Centre**

Game 5: Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 8:05 p.m. at Mystique Community Ice Center**

**if necessary

They Said It

"At no point was beating Green Bay or winning the first-round playoff series our goal. Our goals are much bigger than that. Having said that, it's definitely a step - a step our program needed to take - to beat a team like that in a five-game playoff series."

-- Head coach Anthony Noreen of defeating the Green Bay Gamblers.

Phantoms Leaders

Points: Sam Anas (2-4-6)

Goals: Cam Brown (4, T-second in USHL)

Assists: Anas, Austin Cangelosi (4, T-third in USHL)

Power-Play Goals: Brown (3, first in USHL)

Short-Handed Goals: None

Plus/Minus: Dan Renouf (plus-4, T-third in USHL)

Penalty Minutes: John Padulo (18, T-third in USHL)

Points by a Defenseman: three tied (0-1-1)

Wins: Sean Romeo (3, T-first in USHL)

Goals Against Average: Romeo (2.02, T-third in USHL)

Save Percentage: Romeo (.923, T-third in USHL)

Shutouts: None

Events and Promotions

Friday April 26 and Saturday April 27: Phantoms Away Playoff Game Viewing Party at Danny Boy's

The Phantoms have partnered with Danny Boy's in Boardman (1315 Boardman Canfield Rd., Youngstown, OH 44512) to hold official away game viewing parties for Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals this Friday and Saturday night. Fans throw on your Phantoms gear join the Phantoms staff and promo team to watch both game webcasts live on FASTHockey. In addition, the Phantoms promo team will have prizes and autographed memorabilia to give away and much more! Call the Phantoms front office at 330.747.PUCK for details.

Phantoms Flex Packages are on sale now starting at the low price of just $75. Flex Packages include 10 undated ticket vouchers that can be redeemed at any game and in any increment throughout the rest of the season. Call 330.747.PUCK (7825) for more information or to reserve a Phantoms Flex Package today. For all the latest news, visit www.YoungstownPhantoms.com, follow the Phantoms on Twitter (@YtownPhantoms) and 'like' them on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/YoungstownPhantoms).

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United States Hockey League Stories from April 25, 2013


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