Phantoms come home with 1-0 advantage

Eric Ringel scored his first goal of the playoffs.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Mahoning Valley Phantoms combined a strong forecheck in the final minutes and Ryan Zapolski's 25 saves to defeat the U.S. National Team 2-1 Tuesday in Game One of the North American Hockey League's North Division Finals at the Ice Cube.
Team USA opened the scoring in the first period on a power play. Defenseman Joseph Lavin skated into the left circle before centering a pass through the slot, deflecting wide off the stick of Robbie Czarnik.
Kevin McCarey gathered the loose puck in the right circle and fired a wristshot high over the left shoulder of Zapolski at the 8:40 mark for a 1-0 lead.
Rise to occasion
The Phantoms, who outscored opponents 109-63 in the second period during the regular season and 7-2 in their semifinal sweep of Marquette, rose to the occasion.
Drew Satterley fought off a U.S. player for possession of the puck in the U.S. zone. He one-armed a pass to Mike Fillinger on the right wing and Fillinger did the rest.
He shook off a U.S. poke check attempt, freed himself by skating from the right wing boards to the left circle before snapping a wristshot high over the left shoulder of goaltender Adam Murray.
Fillinger's fourth goal of the postseason at 9:18 tied the game at 1-1.
The Phantoms took the lead on a power play goal. The U.S. cleared the puck into the Phantoms zone as Eric Ringel skated back to retrieve it.
Ringel skated up ice along the left wing boards. Once he gained the attack zone, Ringel cut into the middle and quickly threw a shot against the grain that handcuffed Murray; deflecting off his blocker and over his right leg.
With 2:34 left in the period, the Phantoms led 2-1 on Ringel's first goal of the playoffs.
The Phantoms were shorthanded on three occasions in the third period, but their penalty-killing units buckled down, denying passing and shooting lanes, and keeping the puck along the perimeter of their zone.
Goalie pulled
In the final minute, the U.S. pulled Murray for a sixth attacker, but the Phantoms again denied the U.S. any shots in an effort to force overtime.
The Phantoms outshot the U.S. 43-26, holding Team USA to 13 shots over the final two periods.
On the power play, the Phantoms finished 1 for 6 while the U.S. was 1 for 8.
Games 2 and 3 of the best-of-five series shift to the Ice Zone in Boardman this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are available at the Ice Zone ticket booth, located at 360 McClurg Road, or by calling (330) 965-1423.