Phantoms lose, 6-4, in Game 2; Game 3 is Thursday here

Austin Czarnik scored twice for the U.S. National team to even the series.

staff report

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Justin Faulk and Jacob Fallon scored two quick goals at the outset of the third period, Austin Czarnik scored two goals, and the U.S. National team held on to defeat the Mahoning Valley Phantoms, 6-4, on Friday night in Game 2 of the North American Hockey League’s North Division finals at the Ice Cube.

Game 3 is Thursday at the Chevrolet Centre at 7:15 p.m. The series is tied at 1-1.

The score was tied 3-3 after two periods, before Faulk and Fallon scored less than 21‚Ñ2 minutes apart.

Fallon and Mersch assisted on Faulk’s tally with 16:57 remaining to give the Nationals a 4-3 lead. Then Fallon scored an unassisted goal with 14:21 left to make it a 5-3 game.

Erik Higby of the Phantoms closed the margin to one on a powerplay goal with 4:41 remaining in the game, on assists by Johnny Meo and Cullen Lundholm, but the Phantoms couldn’t get the equalizer past Nationals goalie Brandon Maxwell.

Czarnik scored his second goal of the game with 1:32 remaining into an empty net after the Phantoms pulled goalie Jordan Tibbett to close the scoring.

The Nationals threw a lot of shots at Tibbett in the first period. Frankie Simonelli the U.S. team opened the scoring with 8:54 remaining. The Phantoms tied the score in the blink of an eye off the ensuing faceoff, when fed Carl Nielson beat Nationals’ goalie Brandon Maxwell for the equalizer with 8:41 remaining.

The Nationals held a 20-8 edge in shots on goal in the first period.

The Phantoms took their first lead just 1:17 into the second period on Johnny Meo’s powerplay goal. The Nationals tied the score with 14:20 remaining in the period on a goal by Austin Czarnik.

Josh Bussell put the Phantoms ahead 3-2 with he scored with 13:38 remaining in the period.

The lead was short-lived. The Nationals’ Jarred Tinordi converted on a power play with 9:51 to go, tying the score at 3.

The Phantoms lost despite holding a 37-34 edge in shots and going 2-for-4 on the powerplay.

Tibbett stopped 28 shots while Maxwell made 33 saves.

The Nationals were 1-for-2 with a man advantage.