Phantoms frightful in win in Michigan

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — The Mahoning Valley Phantoms scored early and often on Saturday night, pouring in a season-high six goals on their way to a 6-2 drubbing of the Traverse City North Stars.

The Phantoms’ win snapped Traverse City’s nine-game win streak.

The Phantoms got out of the gate fast, dropping four tallies on the North Stars in the first 13 minutes. Erik Higby opened the scoring at 16:47 of the first, bouncing a centering feed off the back of North Stars goaltender C.J. Motte (6-2-0) for his fourth goal of the year.

Doug Clifford followed his fifth of the season, lining a quick wrist shot past Motte’s glove.

Jordy Trottier notched his team-leading sixth marker of the year, backhanding a rebound past Motte after a scramble in front. Kyle Verbeek topped off the first period scoring avalanche by shelfing a Nick Shkreli centering feed over Motte, who was pulled after Verbeek’s goal.

Phantoms caoch Bob Mainhardt said there was one key difference between the win and Friday’s 1-0 loss for the Phantoms.

“The gameplan was the same,” Mainhardt said. “We just took advantage of our opportunities tonight, the same type of advantages we weren’t taking care of [Friday] night.”

Traverse City struck twice in the second on goals from Dean Pawlaczyk and Nate Urbaniak, but Phantoms goalie Jordan Tibbett (5-2-0) shut them down the rest of the way, turning aside 33 North Stars attempts on his way to his fifth win of the season.

Despite the big score, Tibbett said he never lost his focus.

“You’ve always got to be ready,” said the second-year Phantom, “because they can strike at any time, like they did in the second period. They took a lot of shots and that helped me keep my head in the game.”

Clifford added an insurance goal 65 seconds into the third to tie Trottier for the team lead in goals at six. Brandon Saad finished off the scoring by poking the puck past relief goalie Brandon Stephenson on an odd-man rush.

The Phantoms (8-3-1, 17 points) pulled back within seven of first place Traverse City (12-3-0, 24) in the North Division standings.

The puck drops today at 12:35 p.m. for the rubber match between the two divisional rivals at Centre ICE Arena.