Repost from Our Sports Central
United States Hockey League (USHL) – Youngstown Phantoms News Release
Youngstown, OH – The Youngstown Phantoms (26-16-4-4, 60pts) fell 3-2 in the second of three this weekend to the Muskegon Lumberjacks Saturday Night at the Covelli Centre. This was the second night in a row that the Phantoms lost a lead late in the game, however, Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward thought his team performed better tonight despite the loss.
“We were dominant the entire game. We made one mistake 4-on-4 that ended up in the back of our net,” Ward said. “I was encouraged by our play 5-on-5, defensively they didn’t have much at all. In general, our effort was there, I thought we played hard. It is just one of those things, we’re going through a wobble, and we have to work our way out of it.”
The first period was a slow one for both teams. Two Lumberjack penalties from Ethan Whitcomb and Filip Nordberg led to a 5-on-3 Phantoms power play where the red-hot Nathan Lewis located the rebound of Ryan Botterill’s shot and sneaked it past the Muskegon goalie to take the 1-0 lead. Lewis’ goal was the only goal of the period, sending Youngstown to the locker room with the advantage.
The second period saw more action than the first, with three goals and seven penalties. Matvei Gridin connected on the power play to even up the scoreboard 5:22 into the period. Charlie Cerrato fired a shot that redirected off the bar and into the cage at 12:17. Cerrato scored the goal with one second remaining on a Lumberjack penalty, giving the home team their second power play goal of the night. Three minutes later, Cody Croal finished a breakaway where he beat Phantoms goalie Colin Winn to tie the game at two apiece.
Joe Connor quickly got the final frame started with a goal at 2:42 when he redirected a point shot home to give the visitors the lead, the second power play goal of the game for Muskegon. Youngstown pushed in the closing minutes to tie the game, but never seriously threatened the Muskegon net in the third as they were outshot 7-4 in the final period.
Winn stopped 13 of the 16 shots sent his way in his first game since Feb. 16th, while Shikhabudtin Gadzhiev saved 26 of the 28 Phantoms shots on the night.
The Phantoms host the Lumberjacks in a matinee for the final game of their three-in-three tomorrow afternoon at the Covelli Centre. Puck drop is slated for 4:05.
By the Numbers
Shots – 28
Saves – 13
Power Play – 2/5
Penalty Kill – 4/6
Goals – Cerrato, Lewis
Assists – Botterill (2), Pietila, Strathmann