USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints

Quick Strikes Overpower Fighting Saints

January 16, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Three second period goals, intermingled with quick offensive strikes by the Youngstown Phantoms, led to a 5-2 triumph over the Dubuque Fighting Saints at the Covelli Centre on Saturday night. Both teams have split the regular season series.

The Phantoms' top line of Alex Esposito, Chase Pearson and league-leading scorer Cameron Morrison, proved too much on this night. Morrison connected with a goal 15 seconds after Petter Mäkitalo tied the game at one apiece late in the first period. That put Youngstown up 2-1 at the time.

The Phantoms would tally in quick fashion late in the second period as well, when Esposito and Morrison notched goals 26 seconds apart. Those goals extended the Youngstown lead to 5-1, their largest advantage of the night. Esposito pounced on a turnover earlier in the second frame, and stashed the puck home for the game-winning goal.

Spenser Young tried to ignite a comeback from down four with a goal just under 90 seconds into the final frame, tallying on a rebound shot from Nathan Sucese. The Fighting Saints would outshoot the Youngstown Phantoms 15-1 in the third period, forcing the Phantoms to their lowest shot output in any period this season.

Youngstown took three early penalties in the third period, leading to separate power play chances, including an abbreviated 5-on-3 chance, but Youngstown's penalty kill came through and denied anything further.

Phantoms defenseman Connor Moore started the scoring for the home squad, stashing a rebound through Jaxon Castor in the midst of a broken play. His goal came at the 10:42 mark of the first period.

Ryan Bednard got the start for the Phantoms after getting Friday night off, and was stellar throughout the night in the winning cause, denying 32 of 34 shot opportunities blasted his way.

The Fighting Saints remain on the road to take on the Tri-City Storm for a back-to-back next Friday and Saturday at the Viaero Event Center. Join the live broadcast on Dubuque's Super Hits 106.1 FM, the Dubuque Fighting Saints mobile app, or catch the video broadcast on FASTHockey.com.

Check out the Dubuque Fighting Saints Statistics



United States Hockey League Stories from January 16, 2016


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