Phantoms maintain dominance of Machine

By Greg Gulas

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning Valley Phantoms are money in the bank when they score first.

It’s a rarity to beat them when they hold the lead after two periods as well, which makes the Motor City Machine simply frustrated that they cannot solve the Phantoms’ puzzle at home or on the road.

Nick Kenney, Doug Clifford and Brandon Saad scored unanswered goals in the final period to break a 2-all tie, leading the Phantoms to a 6-2 decision over the Motor City Machine in a North American Hockey League North Division game Saturday at the Chevrolet Centre.

“At least we have a tendency to win the tight ones,” Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt said. “We just need to produce a little more offensively in the first two periods in order to create a cushion in the final period.”

The win, the second in a row for Mahoning Valley, was the fourth in its last five outings and its eighth in nine tries against the Machine.

Motor City has lost six straight to remain winless in the new year.

A stingy Mahoning Valley defense held the Machine without a shot on goal for more than five minutes at the outset as the Phantoms were denied goals twice; the first time on a wrister by George Saad and the second time when Johnny Meo’s slap shot drew iron.

But Cole Schneider registered his 12th goal of the season with 21 seconds remaining in the opening frame.

Mahoning Valley held an 11-5 shot advantage after the first 20 minutes.

Motor City’s Andrew Tate, with assists from Nick Taurence and Bennett Schneider, knotted the game at a goal apiece with his second goal of the season at 3:57 of the second. Nick Shkreli got past the Machine defense at 6:49 to give Mahoning Valley a 2-1 lead.

Motor City knotted the game at 2-all when Trevor John snuck the puck past the outstretched arm of Phantoms goalie Garrett Bartus at 4:42 of the final period. It was John’s fourth goal of the year.

Nick Kenney’s tally at 9:59, his eighth of the season and second of the weekend, then gave Mahoning Valley the lead for good at 3-2.

The Phantoms stretched their lead to 4-2 on Doug Clifford’s goal.

Brandon Saad’s empty-netter at 18:53 was the icing on the cake.

“I have to credit my linemates, Jordy Trottier and Nick Shkreli,” Kenny said. “We’ve been playing really well and just need to continue to play that way the rest of the season if we expect to make some noise in the division.”

Mahoning Valley outshot the Machine (6-29-1, 13 points), 27-18, including 10-4 in the final period of play.

Bartus, who started the season 3-4-2, won for the fifth time in his last six outings to improve to 8-5-2 overall.