USHL Youngstown Phantoms

With Roster Set, Phantoms Begin Playoff Push this Weekend

Published on February 7, 2013 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The United States Hockey League's trade deadline was Wednesday and while divisional rivals were scurrying to tweak, or in some cases completely overhaul, their rosters for the playoff push, the Youngstown Phantoms were conspicuously idle.

That, head coach and general manager Anthony Noreen said, was by design.

"We've always said that if we're going to win or lose, we're going to do it with our type of guys," he said. "And right now we've got our type of guys. We weren't going to try to shake things up."

The Phantoms (20-19-0, 40 points) enter the weekend in fourth place in the USHL Eastern Conference standings and if the season ended at midnight, they would be the final team heading to the Clark Cup Playoffs. The gap between them and the third-place Green Bay Gamblers (24-13-3, 51 points), their opponent Friday night at the Covelli Centre, is substantial with nine points separating the two teams.

The gap between Youngstown the teams ranked No. 5-7 in the standings - the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Chicago Steel and the Indiana Ice respectively - is decidedly slimmer. The RoughRiders trail the Phantoms by just three points, but have also played two more games and The Steel and Ice (16-25-3, 35 points) are only five points behind.

Chicago made a big splash on deadline day, acquiring forwards Tyler Heinonen from the Muskegon Lumberjacks and Drew Smolcynski from Indiana. The Steel sent forwards Christian Heil and Jeff Kubiak to Muskegon as part of the Heinonen deal and the second-place "˜Jacks also acquired forward Brian Morgan, a 16-goal scorer, from Indiana in a separate trade.

There's a saying in sports that if you're not moving forward, you're moving backwards and Noreen acknowledged that some might try to apply that to Youngstown's situation. Others, however, might say he and assistant GM Jason Koehler got their holiday shopping done earlier when they acquired center Cam Brown from Sioux City in November and added winger Nathan Walker in January.

The Phantoms have gone 13-8-0 since trading for Brown and won six of nine games with Walker in the lineup.

"Since our latest additions, we feel like we've had the kind of group we've wanted since day one," Noreen said. "Were there guys out there that maybe on paper would've been an upgrade for us? Absolutely, but we just kept coming back having the people that we want, and we think we've got them."

Noreen said that he and his staff are invested in the current squad and confident in its ability to make a sustained playoff run, and that was demonstrated by standing pat on deadline day. Captain Alexander Dahl said it was a sentiment that did not go unnoticed in the locker room, but he also conceded that it is now on him and his teammates to fulfill their end of the bargain.

"Not making any moves is kind of bold, but I think they made the right decision," he said. "Now we've got to go out an prove we've had the best team all along. We're going to win with what we've got."

Game Schedule (Times EST)

Friday, Feb. 8: Phantoms vs. Gamblers at 7:15 p.m. - Sports Radio 1240 (delayed)/FASTHockey.com

Sunday, Feb. 10: Phantoms at Indiana at 3:05 p.m. - FASTHockey.com

The Phantoms are partnering with K-105 FM this Friday, Feb. 8 for Country Night at the Covelli Centre when the Phantoms take on the Green Bay Gamblers. Doug James, co-host of the Hometown Morning Show on K-105, will be on hand and each fan in attendance will be entered for a chance to win VIP tickets to see Rascal Flatts.

The Phantoms will also be holding a food drive to benefit St. Vincent de Paul's Society in conjunction with all the K-105 Country Night festivities. Bring two or more non-perishable food items to donate at the box office for the chance to purchase purple level tickets, normally $10, for a special discounted price of just $6!

Phantoms Flex Packages are on sale now starting at the low price of just $75. Flex Packages include 10 undated ticket vouchers that can be redeemed at any game and in any increment throughout the rest of the season. Call 330.747.PUCK (7825) for more information or to reserve a Phantoms Flex Package today. For all the latest news, visit www.YoungstownPhantoms.com, follow the Phantoms on Twitter ( @YtownPhantoms ) and "˜like' them on Facebook ( www.Facebook.com/YoungstownPhantoms ).

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 7, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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