Third Period Heroics Lift Phantoms to 5-3 Win

November 16, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release

YOUNGSTOWN, OH - Landan Resendes ' power play goal with 10:37 left in regulation broke a 3-3 and helped lift the Youngstown Phantoms (9-7-0-0, 18pts) to a 5-3 victory over the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Saturday night at the Covelli Centre. Youngstown swept the weekend series against Cedar Rapids and stretched their winning streak to four games.

"It was kind of a broken play off the dasher," said Resendes. "Popped over to me. I saw the corner open. Tried to put it in there, ended up going in. Felt good."

After Conner de Haro blocked a clearing attempt by the RoughRiders, the puck caromed all the way across the rink to Resendes at the top of the left circle. Taking a few strides forward to the dot, Resendes used the defender as a screen and ripped a wrist shot to the short-side top corner for his third goal of the season, second as a Phantom, giving Youngstown a 4-3 lead. Brecken Smith added an insurance marker at 12:42, tapping a pretty pass from Adam Benák into an open cage with AJ Reyelts (27 saves) out of position. The Youngstown defense clamped down for the remainder of the game, only allowing Cedar Rapids one shot on goal down the stretch and just two for the entire third period, giving up only 13 for the entire game.

"We just wanted to be on the right side of pucks and really just keep attacking," said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward of the third period. "We were carrying the game. We just wanted to play our game and stick to our game plan. Be above pucks and play as fast as we can while getting the puck to (the opponent's) net." Youngstown is +50 in shots during the third period so far this season, only allowing 5.4 shots.

Youngstown struck early in the first, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the first two minutes when Kade Stengrim 's one-timer tickled the twine at 1:34. Stengrim posted his third multi-point night of the season and has goals in back-to-back games for the first time in his USHL career. Cedar Rapids tied the game at 5:18 when Heath Nelson scored by redirecting Martin Masa 's point shot for a power play goal. The Phantoms retook the lead at 12:23 when Evan Jardine redirected Jack Hextall 's wrister from the blue line, giving Youngstown a 2-1 lead at the end of the first.

Cedar Rapids scored the opening two goals of the second to jump ahead for the first time all weekend. Nelson converted another redirect at 4:18, this time touching Tomas Mikel 's point shot past Owen Lepak (10 saves). The RoughRiders jumped ahead on Daniel Astopovich 's power play goal at 12:09. Astopovich was the beneficiary of another Nelson redirect, as Lepak stopped Nelson, but Astopovich was camped out at the side of the cage to put home the rebound, giving Cedar Rapids a 3-2 lead. The RoughRiders' advantage was short lived, however, as de Haro joined an odd man rush for the Phantoms and blasted a slap shot off the tip of Reyelts' glove and into the cage at 13:57, tying the game at 3-3 and setting up Youngstown's third period heroics.

The Phantoms took the season series from Cedar Rapids, winning three of the four games. Youngstown will wrap up their five-game homestand with a 4:05pm puck drop Sunday afternoon against Team USA (U18).

By The Numbers

Shots - 32

Saves - 10

Power Play - 1/4

Penalty Kill - 0/2

Goals - de Haro, Jardine, Resendes, Smith, Stengrim

Assists - Benák (2), Coleman, de Haro, Hextall, Kerr, Munroe, Stengrim

Box Score - https://ushl.com/ht/#/game-summary/11996

Youngstown Phantoms celebrate a goal (Scott Galvin/Galvin Photography)

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United States Hockey League Stories from November 16, 2024

• Jennersjö Lifts Saints Past Bucs in Overtime - Dubuque Fighting Saints
• Stars Sweep Weekend in High-Scoring Finale - Chicago Steel
• Third Period Heroics Lift Phantoms to 5-3 Win - Youngstown Phantoms
• Storm Seize Control Late - Waterloo Black Hawks
• Stars Keep Goals Coming, Sweep Steel - Lincoln Stars
• Peck Backstops Jacks to Third Straight Sweep. Jacks Hold on for 2-1 Win - Muskegon Lumberjacks
• Stampede Fall to Lancers in Overtime - Sioux Falls Stampede
• Capitols Dominate U17s in Historic 12-1 Victory - Madison Capitols
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• Strahl Shuts the Door in Phantoms' 4-0 Win - Youngstown Phantoms
• Steel Blanked by Stars - Chicago Steel
• Kohanski Scores Twice, Stars Earn Commanding Win vs. Steel - Lincoln Stars
• Fighting Five: Saints Host Bucs for Military Appreciation Night - Dubuque Fighting Saints
• Gadzhiev, Stewart Lead Jacks to 3-2 (SO) Win in Sioux City - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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