Phantoms’ comeback is spoiled in OT, 6-5

By John Kovach

Phil Wendecker’s goal with 1:25 left in overtime lifted the North Stars past the Phantoms.

BOARDMAN — A beautifully-executed and precision-like play by the Traverse City North Stars spoiled a three-goal rally by the Mahoning Valley Phantoms and a strong comeback by their goalie, Garrett Bartus, Saturday night at the Ice Zone in a North American Hockey League North Division game.

With the score tied at 5-5 after regulation thanks to Jordy Trottier’s goal with 4.8 seconds left that saved Mahoning Valley, Phil Wendecker slammed the puck about 15 feet into the net past Bartus with 1:25 left in overtime to give the North Stars a 6-5 win to pull them within three points of the first-place Phantoms.

Wendecker, who slammed the puck to the right of Bartus, got assists from Travis White, who also had two goals in the game, and Kyle Bonis after the Phantoms had dominated the offense for about the first four minutes of the five-minute overtime.

“Travis White passed the puck to me. It was an easy pass, easy shot and a wide open lane [for the shot],” said Wendecker. “It was a wide-open net. Bonis moved the puck up the court fast. Then he passed to White and White passed to me. The goalie [Bartus] didn’t have time to adjust to [my shot].”

The Phantoms (27-11-4) and the North Stars (25-10-55) will complete their three-game series today at the Ice Zone at 3 p.m.

Trailing 4-1 in the second period, the Phantoms rallied for three straight goals by Nick Kenney (9:16), Cullen Lundholm (16:52 of the third period Brad Smith (13:31) to even matters at 4-4.

Higby had assists on Kenney’s and Smith’s goals while Lundholm’s goal was unassisted.

But with 9:31 left in regulation, White scored his second goal on a line drive slam that traveled about 15 feet into the back of the net past Bartus on assists from Bonis and Dean Pawlaczyk to give Traverse City a 5-4 lead.

That set the stage for Trottier’s game-tying goal from in close on an assist from Stefan Salitro as time was running out.

The North Stars took a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from David Johnstone (14:56) and Garrett Thompson (13:56), before Alex Lippincott’s penalty shot at 9:16 pulled the Phantoms to within 2-1.

Then Traverse City made it 3-1 on Pawlaczyk’s goal at 2:19 of the first period on Marc Thompson’s assist.

Then early in the second, Josh Miller scored for the North Stars on assist from White and Nathan Urbaniak to give them a 4-1 lead.

But the Phantoms didn’t cave and rallied for three straight goals in the second period by Nick Kenney (9:16) on Higby’s assist, Cullen Lundholm (16:52) unassisted and Brad Smith (13:31) on Higby’s assist to tie it at 4-4.

The Phantoms had a 44-33 shots advantage. Bartus had 27 saves, North Stars’ goalie Brandon Stephenson 39.

kovach@vindy.com