Rested Phantoms prepared to take on 4 rivals

Mahoning Valley's first tournament game will be Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice Zone.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BOARDMAN -- Although the Mahoning Valley Phantoms didn't win a division championship in the North American Hockey League, and only played two of the four other teams in the upcoming NAHL Robertson Cup Championship Tournament, Coach Bob Mainhardt is optimistic that his team will turn in a good showing.
"I think pretty good," Mainhardt said of his team's chances in the four-day, eight-game, double-elimination meet that will begin Wednesday at the Ice Zone.
The tournament continues through Saturday.
"We've been a strong team throughout the year. We match up well with the other teams. Some of our losses were from growing pains," said Mainhardt, whose Phantoms compiled a 34-20 record and placed third in the North Division behind the United States National Team (39-14) and Cleveland (35-19).
"We played two of the four other teams this year. We played Bozeman once, losing, 4-1, and we had a 9-5 record against Cleveland."
Mainhardt, a native of Detroit who now lives in Poland, is in his third season as head coach and general manager of the Phantoms. He is a graduate of Kent State where he played hockey for the Golden Flashes.
Mainhardt is assisted by Ian Fredricks, who is in his third season as an aide and also director of player development. Fredricks, who lives in Poland, played collegiate hockey for Lake Superior State and New England College, graduating from the latter school.
Phantoms are host team
The Phantoms are the host team for tournament while the Texas Tornado (42-12), which won the South Division in the regular season, is the two-time defending champion.
The two teams are joined by the Bozeman Ice Dogs (48-9), the West Division champs; the Southern Minnesota Express (35-17), which took the Central Division crown; and the Cleveland Barons, who beat the U.S, National Team in the playoffs to earn the tourney berth.
Texas, Bozeman and South Minnesota won their division playoffs to make the tourney.
The Phantoms, who have two of the top scorers in the league (Marc Menzione and Anthony Ciraulo), will open play Thursday at 7:30 p.m. They will take on the lower-seed of the Cleveland-Bozeman and Texas-Southern Minnesota winners of Wednesday's openers set for 2 and 7:30 p.m., respectively.
The losers of Wednesday's openers will collide in Thursday's first game at 2 p.m.
Menzione, Ciraulo highly-ranked
Menzione, 19, a forward from Darien, Ill., is tied for No. 3 in scoring in the NAHL with Eric Kattelus of Bismarck, each with 75 points. Menzione has 29 goals and 46 assists.
Ciraulo, 20, a forward from Clinton Township, Mich., is tied for No. 6 in NAHL scoring with Casey Haines of Texarkana, each with 73 points. Ciraulo has 25 goals and 48 assists.
Josh Heidinger of Bozeman leads the NAHL in scoring with 89 points (33 goals and 56 assists), while Carter Camper of Cleveland is No. 2 with 82 (31 goals and 51 assists).
Texas' top scorer is Karl Sellan, who is No. 5 in the NAHL with 74.
Southern Minnesota's top scorer is Sean Murphy (67 on 33 goals and 34 assists).
Other top Phantoms
Other top Phantoms scorers are: Drew Satterley, 20, a forward from Kentwood, Mich., with 58 points on 27 goals and 31 assists; Mike Maltese, 20, a forward from Eastpoint, Mich. (46 points on 20 goals and 26 assists); Owen Meyer, 20, forward from Littleton, Colo. (38 points on 19 goals and 19 assists); and Dennis Urban, 17, a defender from Pittsburgh (30 points on 13 and 70).
The Phantoms use two goalies -- Ryan Zapolski, 19, of Erie, Pa., and Bryce Merriam, 18, of Pittsburgh.
Zapolski has played in 39 games and has a 21-12 record with three shutouts and 2.85 goals against average; while Merriam has played in 23 games with a 13-8 record and 3.27 GGA.
The Phantoms have only one Youngstown-area player on the roster -- Zack Skook of Boardman, who has seen only light duty.
kovach@vindy.com