Phantoms suffer 3-2 loss against USA Nationals

The Nationals scored two third-period goals to win at the Ice Zone.

By GREG GULAS

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

BOARDMAN — The Mahoning Valley Phantoms and USA Nationals last played Dec. 22, with the Phantoms defeating their North Division counterparts.

Both teams then broke camp for the holidays while 20 days have since passed with neither team taking to the ice for a league outing.

You’d never know there was a break in the action, however, but the Nationals, by virtue of a stronger third period, defeated the Phantoms, 3-2 in a North American Hockey League game Friday night at the Ice Zone.

David Wohlberg’s second goal of the game at 8:11 of the final period knotted the game at 2-all, while Tyler Amburgey’s first score of the season at 14:35 proved to be the game winner as the Nationals took the first game of the two-game series between the two teams.

“The layoff had nothing to do with our performance tonight. We have veteran players who refuse to play like the veterans that they are,” Phantom coach Bob Mainhardt said.

“We just don’t have the leadership right now that we had a year ago and that is critical to our success. Something has to give and the sooner the better,” he added.

The Phantoms took the early lead when Alden Hirschfeld’s ninth goal of the season, a power play opportunity, slipped past USA goaltender Brandon Maxwell at 11:33 of the opening period.

When Wohlberg scored the first of his two unassisted goals at 18:27, the Nationals knotted the score at 1-all heading to the second period of play.

Mahoning Valley outshot the Nationals, 12-10 in the period.

After a scoreless second period in which the Phantoms held a 12-6 shot advantage, Derek Graham then helped the Phantoms reclaim the lead with his unassisted goal at 3:58 of the final stanza.

Graham, whose score is a team best 24th on the year, also had an assist in the game as well.

Wohlberg’s second unassisted score at 8:11 tied the game at 2-all while Amburgey’s initial tally of the year at 14:35 turned out to be his first game-winning goal as well.

Mahoning Valley held a 36-20 shot advantage and held the Nationals to just four shots in the final period of play.

The Nationals are 16-15-2 (34 points) overall and 8-8-1 in 17 road outings. They have now won six of their last eight outings.

The Phantoms fell to 19-10-3 (41 points) on the season and stand 5-3-1 at home.

The final game of the two-game series is at 7:05 p.m. tonight at the Ice Zone.