The Stars’ home-ice edge not a concern

By Tom Williams

Games 3 and 4 of the best-of-5 series will be played at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City, Mich.

YOUNGSTOWN — The predictions for a tight playoff series between the Mahoning Valley Phantoms and Traverse City North Stars have come true.

After two games, the North Stars and Phantoms are tied, 1-1. Both teams have scored eight goals.

“I think neither team expected a sweep,” said Curtis Carr, Phantoms assistant head coach after the North Stars won Sunday’s Game 2, 4-3, in overtime. “Each team knew [these games] were going to be tight.”

After two games at the Chevrolet Centre, the North American Hockey League North Division best-of-five series shifts to Traverse City, Mich., where the North Stars will be the home team tonight and Friday.

“It’s one-sided stands and they get a decent amount of fans,” Phantoms defenseman Cullen Lundholm said of the North Stars’ rink. “We split with them at their place so I don’t think we need to be too worried [about playing there.]”

If necessary, Game 5 will be played Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Chevrolet Centre.

“They are a very hard-working team and they do very well,” Phantoms forward Alex Lippincott said of the North Stars. “I’m not surprised [the games have been close].”

The Phantoms won Game 1, 5-4, by scoring four power-play goals. Two of them came on 5-on-3 advantages.

In Game 2, the North Stars jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Phantoms rallied. Goals by Johnny Meo, Cole Schneider and Lippincott forced overtime.

“The second one just got through off a defenseman’s skate,” North Stars goalie C.J. Motte said. “A lucky bounce let that one go and there’s nothing you can do about that.

“The third one, I made the first save but gave up the rebound,” Motte said. “We came out real strong in the first period but didn’t come out with our best in the second or the beginning of the third. But we finished real strong.”

With a huge momentum swing on their side, the Phantoms took the ice in the extra session with a chance to seize control of the series.

Eighteen seconds later, the North Stars had the momentum and home-ice advantage when Nathan Urbaniak knocked a rebound past Phantoms goaltender Jordan Tibbett for the win and series tie.

“We talked about how in overtime that no shot is a bad shot,” Palumbo said of his pep talk after the third period. “Nate went to the net and knocked in a rebound. “It’s a start but we can’t take anything for granted.

“It’s a huge win, and we’re not giving it back or anything, but I just wish we would be consistent from the start of the game through the conclusion,” Palumbo said.

Carr said, “We had a really solid third period. Unfortunately, we kind of got caught falling asleep there at the start of overtime. Traverse City played well and their penalty kill was solid at the end.”

Palumbo said Motte played well in Game 2.

“I don’t think he had his best effort on Friday,” Palumbo said. “You need good goaltending to win in the playoffs and C.J. provided that [in Game 2].”

Sunday, Motte made 25 saves as the Phantoms went 1-for-6 on power plays. In the series, they are 5-for-17. The North Stars are 1-for-7, but scored a shorthanded goal on Sunday.

“Our power play was doing pretty well,” Carr said. “We’ve been creating a lot of opportunities on the power play.”

At home, Motte said the North Stars are confident.

“It feels good that we have home-ice advantage now,” Motte said. “We have to come out and play strong the whole time.”

Palumbo said neither team can afford to doze.

“We have to go home and we’ve got to play well,” Palumbo said. “They have such a nice hockey club that we can’t take a night off — and we took a period-and-a-half off [Sunday]. We let them right back into the game.”

williams@vindy.com