Youngstown Phantoms defeat first place Muskegon Lumberjacks at home Saturday
A three-goal third period erased a 5-2 deficit, helping the Youngstown Phantoms (17-11-0-0, 34 points) earn a weekend split with the first place Muskegon Lumberjacks Saturday night at the Covelli Centre. After a scoreless overtime, Youngstown won the shootout 2-0 to earn the second point in the standings.
“Great job by our guys sticking with it and never quitting,” said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward. “Hopefully that’s a win we can build on.”
Youngstown never led in the contest, falling behind at 16:23 of the first when Cameron Aucoin’s seeing-eye shot from the left point found its way behind Owen Lepak (12 saves), giving Muskegon a 1-0 lead. Ryan Rucinski responded with a shorthanded goal for the Phantoms, snapping a wrister past Stephen Peck (15 saves) with 18.7 seconds left in the frame to send the teams to the locker room tied at 1-1 after the first period.
Muskegon struck four times in the second, with a Youngstown goal sandwiched in the middle. Matthew Van Blaricom finished a 2-on-1 rush at 3:12 to put the Lumberjacks back in front. Xavier Veilleux’s power play goal at 9:37 doubled the Muskegon lead. Adam Benák’s power play goal at 11:11 cut into the Lumberjacks’ lead, but Chase Stefanek’s breakaway goal at 16:18 and Jack Christ’s snapper from the left wall at 18:11 put Muskegon ahead 5-2 at the second intermission.
The Phantoms used a trio of dirty goals in the third period to knot things up. At 10:38, Michael Mesic fired one home from in tight to get Youngstown back to within two at 5-3. Youngstown kept the offensive pressure up, and were finally rewarded at 17:27 when Luke Osburn put home a rebound from a sharp angle to get the Phantoms back within a goal. With time winding down and Lepak on the bench for the extra attacker, Jamison Sluys put home the rebound of a Rucinski shot with 40.8 left in regulation to tie things up at 5-5 and force overtime.
Youngstown drew a penalty at 1:01 of the bonus frame, but could not convert on the advantage. With neither side being tested in overtime the game went to a shootout. After Lepak stopped Stefanek on the opening bid, Benák fired a wrister off the tip of Peck’s glove and into the net to give Youngstown the advantage at the end of the first round. After Vaclav Nestrasil’s bid to tie the shootout went off the heel of his stick and wide, Landan Resendes ended the shootout with a deking move, tucking the puck around the left leg of Peck and into the net to give Youngstown the win.
The Phantoms will start a five-game road trip next Friday, starting with a pair of games against the Dubuque Fighting Saints next Friday and Saturday before taking on Muskegon in a three-in-three the following weekend in Michigan. Youngstown will be back at the Covelli Centre January 17-18 to take on Dubuque and then again the following weekend to take on Team USA.
By The Numbers
Shots – 20
Saves – 12
Power Play – 1/4
Penalty Kill – 2/3
Goals – Benák, Mesic, Osburn, Resendes (SOW), Rucinski, Sluys
Assists – Hanrahan, Heš, Hextall, Osburn (2), Rucinski (2), Voronin