Phantoms fight, then fall, 5-2

By CHUCK HOUSTEAU
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BOARDMAN -- The Mahoning Valley Phantoms had more on their minds than just being a gracious host for the 2006 NAHL Robertson Cup at the Ice Zone.
The Phantoms matched Southern Minnesota shot for shot for two-and-a-half periods before falling 5-2 to the Express Thursday in Mahoning Valley's opening game of the tournament.
The Express already owned a win over the defending two-time defending Robertson Cup champ Texas Tornado on Wednesday, but couldn't put the Phantoms away until James Wiley scored two goals in a four-minute span midway through the third period.
The Phantoms overcame an early 2-0 deficit to trail by one goal, 3-2, early in the final period.
"I think we gave a good account of ourselves for not having played for a month," Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt said. "We came out a little rusty, but we got better as the game went on until we tried to push it a little too much at the end.
Up next
In today's semifinal round, Mahoning Valley will face the top-seeded Bozeman (Montana) IceDogs at 7:30 p.m.
Southern Minnesota and Texas will meet in a rematch in the other semifinal game at 2 p.m.
Wiley scored the first of his third period goals at the 6:08 mark on a power-play goal after the Express controlled the puck in Mahoning Valley's end for most of the two-minute penalty.
"James Wiley is the type of player who makes big plays at the right time," Southern Minnesota coach Pat Cullen said. "The fourth goal he scored was incredible. You have to make plays like that at this time of the year to win."
The Express opened the contest the way they closed out the Texas Tornado -- by showing plenty of offense.
Southern Minnesota scored two quick goals early in the first period with aggressive skating and sharp passing.
Ruff, who had two goals against Texas took scored on a rebound off the shot of Brian Schak to get the Express on the board at the 7:04 mark of the period.
Thirty seconds later, C.J. Wilms put a shot past Mahoning Valley goalkeeper Ryan Zapolski with assists from Sean Murphy and Jeff Carlson.
Breaking out
It was during one of the Express power plays that Mahoning Valley's Dennis Urban broke out from the pack and scored a short-handed goal at the 16:40 mark of the period on assists by Drew Satterley and Anthony Ciraulo.
"That goal at the end of the first period was important for us to get back in the game," Mainhardt said.
The Phantoms were able to put pressure on the Express and played their best hockey in the second frame.
Minnesota goalkeeper Eric Largen and the Phantoms' Zapolski did outstanding jobs of fighting off power-play opportunities throughout the first 17 minutes of the second period.
"Ryan Zapolski gave us a chance to win the game tonight with his play in the net," Mainhardt said of his goalkeeper who turned back 39 Express shots. "He took so many point-blank shots and turned them away and that's why we had a chance to win going into the final period.
The Phantoms cut the lead to 3-2 early in the third period on a goal by Matt Atsoff on assists from Owen Meyer and Mike Maltese.
"Mahoning Valley played a great game," Cullen said. "For a team that hasn't played for a long time I thought they represented themselves well."