BETTER THAN EVER: Robert Harrison

By John Kovach

BETTER THAN EVER

He’s returned from a serious injury to be a key contributor for the Phantoms in the North Division finals.

YOUNGSTOWN — Considering what Robert Harrison has gone through, he legitimately can be considered the “Comeback Kid” for the Mahoning Valley Phantoms.

After missing almost three months of play due to a broken leg suffered in the second game of the season, Harrison has bounced back not only to return to the ice but to become a key contributor to the Phantoms’ bid for the North American Hockey League championship.

In is third year with the team and an assistant captain, Harrison will bring a plus-1 rating into Mahoning Valley’s playoff game tonight against the U.S. National Team.

The NAHL North Division finals game in the Chevrolet Centre is scheduled for a 7:15 p.m. start, with the series tied at 1-1.

The teams also will play again Friday at 7:15 p.m. at the Chevrolet Centre, while Game 5, if necessary, will be played at the Ice Cube on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Harrison’s comeback bodes well for Mahoning Valley (36-17-5), which split against Team USA (37-16-5-79) in Ann Arbor, Mich., last week at the Ice Cube, winning the opener 4-1 before losing 6-4.

Harrison, finally back at full strength after lengthy rehabilitation and 24 subsequent games of playing time, said that his plus-1 rating has become much more important to him.

“For defensemen, a plus rating is very important. You don’t want to be scored on and you take pride on not being scored on,” said Harrison (6-foot, 203 pounds), a 21-year-old from Lakeville, Mich., who broke a bone in his ankle in a game against the St. Louis Bandits at the Chevrolet Centre the week before Thanksgiving.

Plus-minus is a statistic that measures the team goal differential when a specific player is on the ice. Players’ plus-minus stats get increased by one every time their team scores an even strength or shorthanded goal while they are on the ice. Powerplay goals don’t affect the plus-minus.

Harrison said that he is playing better defense after his injury than he did before.

“Before I broke my ankle, I was very offensive-minded. I loved to jump in a play, [but] after I broke my ankle my speed wasn’t there and I became very defensive-minded,” he said. “So I am going into the playoffs being more defensive-minded.”

Harrison said he didn’t require ankle surgery, but in hindsight now thinks he should have waited a few more weeks before he returned.

“Once I was cleared to play, my ankle still had a little crack but I was able to put my weight on it and skate,” he said. “For the first month or two, it was hurting every day, but as I started playing more it grew stronger and I got strength back in it, and I am back to where I was before I broke my ankle.”

Overall this season, he has played 35 games and has five goals and seven assists for 12 points.

Harrison still is hoping to get a college scholarship for next year.

“I would like to play Division I hockey next year, and that is everyone’s goal. I had a couple of offers before I broke my leg but none since that time. I still have a couple of teams looking at me and hopefully we can do well in the playoffs so that other scouts will have a chance to see me,” said Harrison, who is living with Bill and Katie Wilson of Poland.

Harrison previously stayed with Mark and Connie Hughes his first season, and then with Ardi Hamrock his second year.

If a college scholarship doesn’t materialize, Harrison still plans to get a higher education.

“I will enroll in college and get a degree in education and become a history teacher. I like history and I will minor in business,” he said.

kovach@vindy.com