Preview - Stars at Phantoms
Published on February 9, 2019 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
SATURDAY, FEB. 9, 2019 | 6:05 P.M. CST | COVELLI CENTRE
RADIO: LINCOLN STARS RADIO | WATCH: HOCKEYTV
Tonight's Contest:
The Stars (10-26-3-2) are looking for a response in a rematch against the Youngstown Phantoms (20-16-1-3) tonight in Ohio.
Last Game:
The Stars and Phantoms met for the first time in the 2018-19 season last night.
The first period saw the Stars limit Youngstown early, allowing just two shots to reach Samuel Hlavaj in the first 7:30 of the opening frame. For their part, the Stars managed three, but found it hard to navigate Youngstown's steady defense in the middle of their own zone, as many chances missed the net. At 9:40, Youngstown cracked the scoreboard on Travis Kuntar's 11th goal of the season. For the rest of the first period, Phantoms netminder Christian Stoever and Hlavaj hunkered down and stopped all further chances, sending the teams to intermission with Youngstown sporting a one-goal advantage.
A quiet start to the second saw the Stars kill off their first two penalties of the game, negating a Phantoms power play that entered as the second-best in the USHL. Youngstown cashed in even-strength, finally besting a stellar Hlavaj in the second on a highlight-reel dangle and drive to the net from Matthew Barnaby Jr. The 2-0 lead created at 10:31 would last exactly four minutes. The Stars cracked the scoreboard after Matthew Barbolini glided into the slot before firing a back door pass to an open Josh Lopina for the score in close. Lincoln followed up less than a minute later with a tic-tac-toe passing sequence started by Michael Colella on a cross-slot feed to Logan Britt. Britt returned the puck to the middle to a crashing Tristan Ashbrook on a nifty back-handed pass that Ashbrook deposited in the back of the net. After killing a third penalty, the Stars were bested once more at even strength. Connor MacEachern sprung free at the top of the slot where he fired the puck past Hlavaj for a 3-2 lead at 19:17.
The Stars couldn't re-gain their momentum in the third. Goals from Brett Murray at 7:33 and Liam Robertson at 15:43, coupled with unsuccessful power plays at the beginning and end of the period, left Lincoln in a hole too deep to dig out of. At the final horn, they fell 5-2.
Head-to-Head:
After last night's victory, the Phantoms lead the season series 1-0.
Team Stats:
GF: YNG-3.28 (t-8th) to LIN-2.71(15th)
GA:YNG-3.78 (15th) to LIN-3.83 (16th)
Shots For/G: LIN-28.02 (12th) to YNG-26.95 (15th)
Shots Against/G: YNG-28.40 (9th) to LIN-30.17 (13th)
PP: YNG-44/179, 24.6% (2nd) to LIN-25/169, 14.8% (16th), SHGA: YNG-7 (15th) to LIN-8 (t-16th)
PK: LIN-135/163, 82.8% (4th) to YNG-131/169, 77.5% (14th), SHGF: YNG-9 (2nd) to LIN-2 (t-14th)
Leading Scorers:
G: YNG-Brett Murray 23, LIN-Caleb Rule 12
A: YNG-Brett Murray 27, LIN-Brock Bremer 14
TP: YNG-Brett Murray 50, LIN-Brock Bremer 25
Goalies:
W: YNG-Chad Veltri and Christian Stoever 9, LIN-Jacob Mucitelli 3
GAA: LIN-Jacob Mucitelli 3.67, YNG-Chad Veltri 3.67
SV%: YNG-Chad Veltri .876, LIN-Jacob Mucitelli .876
SO: LIN-Jacob Mucitelli 1, YNG-None
MIN: YNG-Veltri 1045, LIN-Jacob Mucitelli 719
What to Watch For:
Colella Keeps on Cruising:
Michael Colella's pass on a tic-tac-toe sequence that saw Tristan Ashbrook put a puck past Christian Stoever marked Colella's fifth point in six games with the Stars. After starting the year in the NCDC, Colella has gone on to play for all three Nebraska teams in the USHL. He's scoring at his highest rate with the Stars at .83 points per game.
Jack Malone:
Dating back to last year, Jack Malone has continued to give the Stars problems. The forward had a goal and an assist in Lincoln in two games last season. Last night's three assists moved his career total to five points in three games against the Stars. For good measure, the last player added to the 2019 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game recorded a goal for Team West at the Ice Box in Lincoln's hosting of the most recent showcase event.
Searching for a Spark
The Stars will look to turn around an offense that has slumped in its last four games, scoring just seven goals and winning just one game in that span. The team will look to capitalize against a Youngstown defense allowing well over three and a half goals per-game and has killed just 77.5% percent of their penalties.
United States Hockey League Stories from February 9, 2019
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- Shorthanded Lumberjacks Complete Weekend Sweep of Central Illinois 5-2 - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Dominant Third Pushes Steel Past Musketeers 5-3 - Chicago Steel
- Dubuque Grabs Point, CR Prevails in 8-Round Shootout - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Stampede Stymie Waterloo in the Third - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Musketeers Fall Short On Saturday Night - Sioux City Musketeers
- Stars Fall 6-3 to Phantoms - Lincoln Stars
- Flying Aces Can't Knock Down Lumberjacks in Hard Fought Game - Central Illinois Flying Aces
- Gameday Preview: Storm Seek Back to Back Wins against Gamblers - Tri-City Storm
- Preview - Stars at Phantoms - Lincoln Stars
- Phantoms Outshine Stars 5-2 - Youngstown Phantoms
- Different Venue, Same Result - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Sioux City Comes Away From Omaha With Frustrating Loss - Sioux City Musketeers
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