Phantoms close 2009 on the road

VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Youngstown Phantoms will close the year tonight with their first of five games against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

The Phantoms (13-11-2, 28 points) and the RoughRiders are tied for third place in the East Division. The top four teams in each division will qualify for the USHL’s postseason.

Phantoms forward Jefferson Dahl is exploring new territory for the first-year franchise as his two-goal performance on Tuesday in a 4-3 win over Waterloo extended his goal-scoring streak to a team-best five games.

Dahl’s first-period score came with the Phantoms shorthanded, his second of the season, tying him with defenseman Scott Mayfield for first on the club.

The RoughRiders (13-12-2, 28 points) are returning to action after an 11-day holiday break. Their previous contest was a 2-1 road decision over Indiana on Dec. 18. Forward Derek DeBlois netted the game-winning goal, his seventh, to back up goalie Troy Grosenick, who earned his 11th win of the season by stopping 35 of 36 Ice shots.

The win over the defending Clark Cup champs snapped a two-game losing streak for Cedar Rapids.

Dahl isn’t the only Phantom who has shifted his goal-scoring motor into overdrive. Third-year USHL forward Tom Serratore has also revved it up lately, turning on the red light in three consecutive games, Youngstown’s second-longest streak on the season.