Phantoms' 19-game winning streak snapped by Marquette Rangers, 3-2

MARQUETTE, Mich. -- Stephen Ritter made 36 saves and Neeco Belanger scored a short-handed goal with 2:38 remaining in the third period to give the Marquette Rangers a 3-2 win over the Mahoning Valley Phantoms Friday night.
The loss snapped the Phantoms' 19-game winning streak.
Belanger skated with the puck from his own blue line down the right wing. As he entered the Phantoms' zone, he flipped the puck between a defenseman's legs, then roofed a wrist shot over the left shoulder of goaltender Ryan Zapolski for his 11th goal of the season and the Rangers' first win over the Phantoms in seven tries.
The Phantoms pulled Zapolski for an extra attacker with 1:03 left, but could not pull even as they lost for the first time since Oct. 21.
Mahoning Valley (25-8-1) took advantage of five power play opportunities in the first period to take the early lead. On a 5-on-3 advantage, Chris Fairbanks caught Ritter out of position and fed Chad Boeckman in the left circle.
Alone with the left side of the net open, Boeckman easily scored his ninth goal of the season at the 10:15 mark for a 1-0 lead.
But the Rangers fought back in the second period with a pair of power play goals. With two seconds left on a 5-on-3 advantage, defenseman Derek Grogan floated a wrist shot from the right circle that beat a screened Zapolski over the shoulder. Grogan's second goal of the season tied the game at the 11:36 mark.
Rangers take lead again
Marquette (11-18-2) took the lead five minutes later, two seconds after another 5-on-3 advantage expired. Brodie Zuk took a rebound off the backboard in the right circle and fired a slap shot that handcuffed Zapolski. Zuk's 12th goal of the season gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead with 3:23 left in the period.
The Phantoms peppered Ritter in the third period with two more two-man advantages and six power play opportunities, but the Rangers goaltender stood the test and had a little luck along the way.
Eric Ringel was robbed by Ritter point blank in between the circles with 15 minutes remaining. With nine minutes left, Matt Quigley hit the crossbar to the right of Ritter after taking a pass from Nathan Longpre.
Then, with 6:40 remaining, the Phantoms tied the game. Longpre's shot from the left circle deflected off Ritter's stick and popped straight in the air. The puck landed to Ritter's left and bounced off defenseman Jason Cohen's skate into the net. Longpre's goal was his 14th of the season.
Mahoning Valley played without the services of defenseman Trent Bonnett. Bonnett suffered a broken jaw in Wednesday's 3-0 win over the U.S. National Team when he was hit with a puck. He is expected to miss a minimum of four weeks.
The Phantoms out-shot Marquette 38-29 as Zapolski made 26 saves in the loss. Mahoning Valley was 1-for-13 on the power play while the Rangers finished 2-for-7. The teams will face-off again tonight at 7.