Serratore takes charge as Phantoms sweep Fargo
Published on October 31, 2009 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release
FARGO, N.D. - Paging the USHL league office: the Youngstown Phantoms would like to be designated the visiting team for all their remaining games.
Tom Serratore's two-goal, three-point third period boosted the barnstorming Phantoms to a 6-3 victory Saturday night against the Fargo Force, as the visitors improved to 4-1-1 away from home on the strength of a two-game weekend sweep at the Urban Plains Center.
Brett Gensler also scored twice for Youngstown (4-4-1), who extended Fargo's losing streak to three games, dropping the Force (4-5-0) under the .500 mark. The Phantoms swept a two-game road trip for the second time in four weeks.
Youngstown goalie Jordan Tibbett held the fort valiantly with the Phantoms trailing early and was rewarded by the offensive explosion with his second win of the campaign. The former Mahoning Valley Phantom (NAHL) made 26 saves to outduel Fargo counterpart Ryan Holfeld.
With the score tied 2-2 after Fargo's Alex Lippincott slammed in a power-play goal in the early moments of the third, Serratore took over. The third-year USHL veteran assisted on Adam Berkle's go-ahead marker at 5:34, then scored his first of the season from the left-wing boards just 1:56 later to push Youngstown up by two.
Joe Rehkamp's stuff from the left post drew Fargo to within 4-3, but both Gensler and Serratore found the back of the Force goal with netminder Holfeld pulled for an extra skater . For Gensler it was his fourth goal in two nights and his seventh in the Phantoms' first nine games.
After defeating Fargo 3-1 Friday night to end a three-game losing streak, the Phantoms rallied from an early 1-0 deficit for the second straight night to drop the Force to 1-3-0 at home. Youngstown has now surrendered the first goal in its last five games, but for the second time in two nights the Phantoms rendered that moot.
The Phantoms trailed 1-0 after Corey Leivermann's even-strength tally midway through the first, but rallied back on second-period goals by Stuart Higgins (power play) and Gensler about four minutes apart to grab a 2-1 edge heading into the final frame. Higgins earned his third of the season when he tipped Dan Senkbeil's wrister past Holfeld's glove hand at 13:28.
A fortunate bounce gave Youngstown its first lead with 2:21 to go in the second. Gensler attempted a cross-crease pass that deflected off a Fargo defender and through Holfeld's legs to make it 2-1.
Just over two minutes after Lippincott's one-timer drew the Force even, Berkle buried the rebound of Serratore's wraparound to push the Phantoms back on top. The assist was Serratore's first point of the season, but he wouldn't take long to record his second.
At 7:30 of the final frame, Serratore snapped a low shot at the net from outside the left circle that hit Holfeld's goal stick and hopped over his shoulder for an improbable goal and a 4-2 Phantoms lead. Rehkamp answered off a goalmouth scramble at 9:24, but Youngstown stymied the Fargo attack and then poured it on with Holfeld on the bench.
Gensler tossed a blind backhander from 90 feet into the empty net with 1:11 to go to push it to 5-3, followed by Serratore's second of the period 27 seconds later. Those duel daggers send the Force faithful scrambling for the exits and into the Halloween night.
Youngstown will now search for its first home triumph Thursday evening at 7:15 p.m. against Des Moines at the Covelli Centre. The Buccaneers come to northeast Ohio as the Phantoms host Mascot Mania Night, featuring appearances from Sparky, the Cleveland Browns' Chomps and other famous mascots. Kids under the age of 12 wearing their Halloween costumes will get in free with a paying adult.
United States Hockey League Stories from October 31, 2009
- Serratore takes charge as Phantoms sweep Fargo - Youngstown Phantoms
- Hat trick by Cisse highlights Buccaneer's win on Halloween - Des Moines Buccaneers
- U.S. National Under-18 Team Bests Adrian College, 3-2, in Shootout - U.S. National Team
- Ill Omens For Halloween - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Countdown To Puck Drop: Phantoms At Fargo - Youngstown Phantoms
- Ice Slide Past Hawks - Waterloo Black Hawks
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