North Stars shine in OT

By Tom Williams

The Phantoms are tied with Traverse City, with the next two games in Michigan.

YOUNGSTOWN — It took the Mahoning Valley Phantoms 57 regular-season games to secure home-ice advantage for the first round of the North American Hockey League North Division playoffs.

It took the Traverse City North Stars just 18 seconds of overtime to steal that edge on Sunday at the Chevrolet Centre.

Nathan Urbaniak’s goal in the opening seconds of the extra session gave the North Stars a 4-3 victory and a 1-1 tie in their best-of-five series.

“It’s a big goal for us,” North Stars coach Anthony Palumbo said. “We knew we had to win one in this building to win this series.”

Games 3 and 4 will be played Thursday and Friday evenings in Traverse City, Mich. If necessary, Game 5 will be played next Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Chevrolet Centre.

Urbaniak’s goal wiped out a fierce Phantoms rally overcoming a three-goal deficit.

“From the middle of the second [period], I thought Mahoning really carried the play,” said Palumbo, citing the play of goaltender C.J. Motte. “C.J. made some good saves to keep us 3-3.”

Urbaniak credited the hustle of North Stars captain Kyle Bonis for setting up the game-winning goal.

“It was a simple chip into the zone,” Urbaniak said of the rapid start. “Kyle Bonis just skated hard, beat [a defender] to the puck, won a battle along the wall then threw it out in front at the net.”

Bonis’ flip went off Phantoms goaltender Jordan Tibbett into the slot.

“I got the rebound back on my stick and lifted it up over his pad,” Urbaniak said. “It felt great, especially when it was that quick.

“It’s a long series, but it’s huge to get the second win. We’re taking the momentum back home and [hope to] build off that.”

Curtis Carr, Phantoms assistant coach, said two one-goal games is not a surprise. (The Phantoms won Game 1, 5-4.)

“We’re expecting a pretty tight series,” Carr said. “Obviously, we are disappointed to lose a game at home. Now we have to go up there and steal a game.”

That the Phantoms saw overtime was a testament to their perseverance after falling behind 3-0.

Urbaniak put the North Stars ahead just 72 seconds into the game on assists from Travis White and Bonis.

Then with the North Stars shorthanded, Phantoms goalie Jordan Tibbett was attempting to set up the puck behind his net when Jarrod LaBelle stole it, slipped around to the front of the goal and put the puck into the unguarded cage for a 2-0 lead.

The lead grew to 3-0 midway through the second period. After the Phantoms skated off an interference penalty to Michael Gunn, Marc Thompson scored. Christopher Heineman drew Tibbett to the goalie’s left then slipped the puck to the unguarded Thompson who converted.

With the North Stars about to be penalized, the Phantoms controlled to the puck long enough to get Tibbett to the bench for a sixth skater.

Defenseman Cullen Lundholm dumped the puck into a crowded slot where Meo grabbed it and slapped the puck past Motte to reduce the Traverse City lead to 3-1.

Thanks to a late second-period penalty to the North Stars’ Mike Schenfeld, the Phantoms climbed back into the game with Cole Schneider’s power-play goal 23 seconds into the third period. Setting up the goal were Stefan Salituro and Carl Nielsen.

Two-and-a-half minutes later, the game was tied 3-3 when Alex Lippincott connected.

“I stepped on the ice and [Josh] Bussell had already taken it down into the offensive zone,” Lippincott said. “He spun around into the corner and threw a backhander to me and I one-timed it into the goalie. And the rebound was just playing there so I whacked at it with one hand and it went in.”

Late in the third period, Urbaniak crosschecked Jordy Trottier into the Phantoms goal. But the Phantoms were unable to convert on the ensuing power play, sending the game to overtime.

Sitting in the penalty box late in the game was “horrible,” Urbaniak said. “I’m just thankful that my teammates picked me up, killed it off and pulled us through.”

Tibbett made 18 saves while Motte stopped 25 shots.

williams@vindy.com