Phantoms are subdued, but retain second place

Derek Grogan and goalie Beau Christian led the Rangers’ 6-2 victory.

By GREG GULAS

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

BOARDMAN — Derek Grogan scored two goals and added an assist while goalie Beau Christian stopped all but two of Mahoning Valley’s 61 shots, as the Marquette Rangers defeated the Phantoms, 6-2, in North American Hockey League action Friday at the Ice Zone.

Despite the loss, the Phantoms (25-13-5, 54 points) remained one point ahead of idle Alpena (25-15-3, 53 points) for second-place in the league’s North Division.

“We got completely out-coached,” Phantom coach Bob Mainhardt said after the game.

The Rangers (23-19-3, 49 points) took the early lead on the first of Grogan’s two goals at 4:23 of the opening period. His 12th netter of the season was the first of three Rangers goals when given the man advantage.

Chad Pietila, who assisted on Grogan’s initial goal, then teamed with James Gallagher on Josh Bussell’s 17th tally of the year at 7:47 of the period for a 2-0 Marquette lead.

When Nic Weight’s goal penetrated the Phantom crease at 17:56, Marquette stormed to a 3-0 margin heading to the first intermission.

Weight’s tally came when the Rangers had a two-man advantage as Marquette out-shot the Phantoms, 23-21 in the period.

Mahoning Valley’s Johnny Meo cut the Rangers’ lead to 3-1 when his wrister registered just 2:43 into the second period, but Grogan helped Marquette regain their three-goal lead when his second goal of the game slipped past Phantom goalie Garrett Bartus at 7:02 of the period.

Grogan’s goal came with Mahoning Valley on the power play.

When Trent Bonnett assisted on Mile Winter’s goal at 13:47 of the period, also on the power play, the Phantoms cut the Marquette lead to 4-2 heading to the final period of play.

That would be the closest Mahoning Valley would get the rest of the way.

The burst of momentum that the Phantoms generated at the end of the second period was lost midway through the final stanza, when Gallagher registered his 13th goal of the season for a 5-2 lead at 9:05 of the period.

Jake Watchorn’s tally at 16:04 then put the icing on the cake for Marquette, rounding out the scoring on the night.

Mahoning Valley out-shot the Rangers, 61-45 including 40-22 in the final two periods of play.

Christian picked up the win and improved to 8-11-2 for Marquette.

Bartus absorbed the loss for the Phantoms and is now 17-7-3 overall.

It was the second straight win for the Rangers and the second consecutive loss for the Phantoms.

Mahoning Valley, now 12-5-1 at home, still owns a 3-2 advantage over Marquette in the five games the two teams have played this season.

The two North Division rivals will meet in the series finale tonight at 7:15 p.m. at the Ice Zone.