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Phantoms turn back IceDiggers
Photo
Phantoms Cole Schneider (24) gets blocked from making a goal by Andy Yarber (77), Goalie Nick Graves (30) and Ryan Sell (5) Sunday December 28, 2008
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning Valley coach Bob Mainhardt is the first to admit that his team can be a pretty darn good one when the Phantoms decide to play an entire 60-minute game.
It’s taking that one period off that gets him frustrated.
The Phantoms (18-7-2) scored three goals in both the first and third periods, but took a back seat to Alpena’s aggressiveness in the second stanza. Despite struggling in the middle portion of the game they turned back the IceDiggers, 6-3 in a North American Hockey League game Sunday night at the Chevrolet Centre.
“We played 40 good minutes tonight but got away from our game plan in the middle period,” said Mainhardt. “We’ll take the win, but hopefully we can learn from this because you just know that they [Alpena] will be motivated for us [tonight].
“We need to find a way to play 60 minutes of hockey at both ends of the ice.”
Michael Gunn, playing in just his fifth game for Mahoning Valley after offseason knee surgery, got the Phantoms’ scoring parade started when he nailed his first goal of the season just 5:22 into the game.
For Gunn, getting the goal was great but focusing on the overall picture remains first and foremost.
“It was really great to finally get that first goal, but I still need to focus on the little things when I am out on the ice; little things that will help us win games,” he said. “I’m not a scorer, so getting the little things done is just as important as scoring a goal.”
Mainhardt was happy to see his young pupil finally find the back of the net.
“Michael is one of the youngest players in the league. He showed you tonight why we have been so patient in working him into the line-up,” he said.
Cole Schneider’s power play goal (the score coming with a two-man advantage), his first of two scores on the night at 7:38, staked the Phantoms to a 2-0 lead and Michael Pateras notched his third tally of the year at 17:07 to make it 3-0.
Schneider, who scored an unassisted goal in the final period, was happy with the win but agreed that the team needs every bit of a 60-minute effort.
“We played hard for two periods but let Alpena get back into the game, which really could have been costly for us tonight,” he said.
“I was fortunate to get behind the goalie and tap in the puck for my first score, and then had a good shot on my breakaway goal in the final period.”
Jay Camper’s fourth goal of the year at 10:38 of the second period, the only score of the frame, cut the Phantoms’ lead to 3-1 and when Sam Cheraso notched the first of his two scores just 3:23 into the final period, the IceDiggers (16-10-2) cut Mahoning Valley’s lead to 3-2.
Goals by Schneider (7:09), Erik Higby (9:41) and a power play netter by Doug Clifford at 11:47 — all three scores coming within a 4:38 span — increased the Phantoms’ lead to 6-2.
Cheraso’s goal at 16:49 rounded out the scoring.
The Phantoms held a 35-34 shot advantage, going 2-for-5 on power play opportunities while holding Alpena scoreless in five attempts with a man advantage.
The win was the second in a row for Mahoning Valley and the fourth in their last six outings while the IceDiggers, who had won 14 of 17 games coming into the series, had their four-game win streak halted.
The final game of the series will take place tonight at 7:15 p.m. at the Chevy Centre.