Despite rust, MV wins 4-3

Anthony Ciraulo's 16th goal gave Mahoning Valley the lead for good.
By Greg Gulas
Vindicator Correspondent
BOARDMAN -- Idle for 21 days due to the holiday break, the Mahoning Valley Phantoms were anything but crisp on their return to the ice, especially against a team that has lost 10 of its last 11 outings.
It took a goal by Owen Meyer, and unanswered tallies by Milan Drevenak, Anthony Ciraulo and Jason Simota during a 13:29 span late in the game to propel the Phantoms to a 4-3 victory over Traverse City late Saturday night.
Meyer's 13th goal of the season at 16:04 of the opening period gave the Phantoms a 1-0 lead just 20 minutes into the game.
Both Eric Elmblad (10:06) and Ryan Bond (18:03) then registered their first goals of the year in the second period to give the North Stars a 2-1 advantage.
Drevenak's goal, however, just 32 seconds before the end of the period knotted the contest at two goals apiece with one period of play remaining.
Ciraulo scores 16th
Ciraulo's team-tying 16th goal of the year at 3:59 of the final stanza then gave the Phantoms the lead for good, and when Simota's slap shot found the net at 6:59, Mahoning Valley led, 4-2.
The North Stars' Joe Schweiger then scored with 57 seconds remaining to cut the Phantom lead to 4-3, but it was too little, too late as Mahoning Valley withstood a flurry of Traverse City shots in the final minute to remain undefeated at home this season.
The Phantoms held a 48-37 shots on goal advantage as Ryan Zapolski rejected 34 North Star shots while in goal to notch his 14th victory of the year.
Neither team could capitalize on power play opportunities; the Phantoms going 0 for 6 and the North Stars 0 for 8 when showing a player advantage.