Voronin's Overtime Winner Lifts Phantoms to Game One Victory

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USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Voronin's Overtime Winner Lifts Phantoms to Game One Victory

September 19, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


CRANBERRY TWP., PA - After surrendering a 3-2 lead with less than five minutes to go in regulation and spending almost the entirety of overtime pinned in their own end, Kuzma Voronin's goal with 16.7 seconds left in the bonus frame lifted the Youngstown Phantoms (1-0-0-0, 2pts) to a 4-3 win over the Tri-City Storm Wednesday night at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in game one of the 2024 USHL Fall Classic.

It didn't take long for the Storm to get off to a 1-0 lead, as AJ Lacroix's power play goal at 1:54 staked Tri-City to an early advantage. The Storm doubled their lead at 7:22 when a steal by Artemi Nizamayev led to a tap-in goal for Ilya Morozov, the first in the USHL For Tri-City's tender. Tri-City outshot Youngstown 16-2 in the opening frame. "It was the first period of the first game of the year," said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward. "We sucked."

The Phantoms woke up in the second period, outshooting Tri-City 13-5 while putting up three goals. Mikey Burchill opened the scoring for Youngstown at 5:22, his wrister from the left circle finding its way over the left shoulder of Adam Dybal (19 saves) and to the back of the cage. Burchill added an assist later in the game, bringing him to 93 points in his USHL career.

Youngstown tied the game with a power play goal later in the frame. Adam Benak won a puck battle in the high slot and carried the puck to the right corner. Benak then threaded the puck all the way across to Jack Hextall at the left dot, who blasted home a one-timer, tying the game at 2-2 with 5:30 left in the period. The goal was the first for Hextall in the USHL and the assist was the first point for Benak.

"(Hextall and Benak) think the game on the same level," said Ward. "They're billet brothers, they live together. They're on the same wavelength as far as how they think (the game)."

Just 74 seconds later, Conner de Haro got lost by the defense and put a one-timer past Dybal from the right dot, giving Youngstown a 3-2 lead heading into the third.

Tri-City answered back with 4:37 left in regulation when Colby Woogk's wrister from the left dot got over the shoulder of Melvin Strahl (29 saves), knotting the game at 3-3. Despite allowing the late goal, Ward was happy with the USHL debut for his netminder. "He kept us in it," said Ward. "In the second period, he didn't have to make many saves, but the saves he made were big, and I thought when we needed him, he was there."

Entering overtime on a penalty kill, Youngstown was able to keep the Storm off the board and get back to even strength, but the Phantoms were pinned on their side of center-red from the 3:00 mark until 4:30 when Voronin stripped a Tri-City skater of the puck and worked it to the Youngstown defense. Phantoms captain Coleson Hanrahan fired a 120-foot pass to Benak, who cut to the middle, drawing the defense. Just as the defense collapsed on Benak, he slipped a pass to a wide-open Voronin, crashing down the right wing. Voronin's one-timer rocketed past Dybal, giving Youngstown the win.

Youngstown's victory snapped a three-game losing streak in season openers for the Phantoms and also marked the first time Youngstown has won its opening game at the Fall Classic, in this the sixth year of the event. The Phantoms are 4-12 in season openers, their last win coming in 2020 at Dubuque.

The Phantoms will wrap up their 2024 USHL Fall Classic with a 3:00 Thursday matinee against the Sioux City Musketeers.

By the Numbers

Shots - 23

Saves - 29

Power Play - 1/4

Penalty Kill - 4/5

Goals - Burchill, de Haro, Hextall, Voronin

Assists - Benak (2), de Haro, Hanrahan, Huston, Morin, Voronin

Box Score - https://ushl.com/ht/#/game-summary/12363

Check out the Youngstown Phantoms Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from September 19, 2024


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