Bandits subdue Phantoms, take 1-0 lead

Netminder Cal Heeter stopped 24 Mahoning Valley shots.

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — Goaltender Cal Heeter turned aside 24 shots while the No. 1 line of Ben Warda, Mike Merrifield and Josh Rabbani combined for six points to lead the St. Louis Bandits to a 4-1 win over the Mahoning Valley Phantoms on Friday night at the Hardees IcePlex.

The Bandits lead the best-of-five North American Hockey League series, 1-0.

St. Louis got on the board first when Warda circled in from the corner and found Merrifield alone in the slot to wrist home his fourth goal of the playoffs just 5:50 in. Rabbani picked up the second assist.

Phantoms goaltender Garrett Bartus turned away 13 shots in the opening period to keep it 1-0 Bandits heading into the first intermission.

With 8:27 gone from the second period clock, Jeff Ceccacci’s power play blast from the top of the point found its way home through traffic and off of Bartus’ left leg to put the Bandits up 2-0. Ceccacci’s second of the playoffs was assisted by Mike Hull.

Just 1:43 into the final frame, Warda and Rabbani worked a give-and-go to perfection to put St. Louis up three. Warda fed Rabbani in the corner who returned a pass back to Warda in the high slot. Warda’s one-timer beat Bartus high to the glove side. Merrifield picked up the helper.

Kyle Bailey capitalized on Heeter’s only miscue of the game to get the Phantoms on the board. After Heeter gloved down Trent Bonnett’s 60-foot shorthanded bid from the point, he dropped in right back in the crease, where Bailey slid home his second of the playoffs to pull Mahoning Valley to within two.

Mike Hull’s unassisted empty-netter with just 22 seconds left closed out the scoring.

Bartus made 36 saves on the night while holding the potent St. Louis power play to just one goal on 11 chances. The Phantoms went 0 for 6 with the man-advantage.

Game Two of the North Division Finals between the two squads will get under way today at 8:15 p.m.