HOCKEY Phantoms in Minneapolis to play in tourney

BOARDMAN -- The Youngstown Phantoms haven't played a game since Oct. 9, but they return to the ice at the NAHL Showcase Tournament in Minneapolis starting today.
The Phantoms will play four games in four days; they started with a game against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs today at 9:30 p.m.
Youngstown plays the Bay State Breakers Thursday at 8 p.m.; the Walpole Junior Stars Friday at 1:30, and the Texarkana Bandits Saturday at noon.
The Phantoms (3-3) have won three of their past four games and will take a two-game winning streak into the tournament.
Team begins to jell
"Hopefully, we'll pick up where we left off," Phantoms coach and general manager Bob Mainhardt said. "We really started to come together as a team the past couple games, and we're going to play to win up in Minnesota.
"In a tournament like this, you need to have confidence in your own ability and make the other team play your game," he added. "Guys can go out there and play the game, and hopefully let our talent take over. And that's what the scouts are there to see is the talent."
Four Phantoms will miss playing time at the tournament because of suspensions handed down by the league office. Marc Menzione, Kyle Laughlin and Warren Byrne were to miss today's game, and Billy Glynn has a two-game suspension.
"We're almost 100 percent healthy, but at this level, you do have injuries and you do have suspensions from time to time, so it's good that we have the depth that we have," Mainhardt said.
Aaron Rhyner leads the Phantoms with six goals and has scored at least one goal in five of the team's six games.