Shorthanded goal sends Phantoms to a 9-2 blowout

By Tom Williams

Mahoning Valley’s Stefan Salituro and Cullen Lundholm responded to two Traverse City goals with crucial tallies.

YOUNGSTOWN — After surrendering a two-goal lead, the Mahoning Valley Phantoms converted solid special teams play into a lopsided victory that has them one weekend win away from securing home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs.

After the Traverse City North Stars rebounded to tie the Phantoms 2-2 in the second period, the Phantoms scored three goals before the period’s end to seize control in Friday’s 9-2 win in North American Hockey League action at the Chevrolet Centre.

Goals by Stefan Salituro and Cullen Lundholm (shorthanded) helped the first-place Phantoms take charge.

“That was a big momentum shift and we pretty much took control from there,” Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt said of the 4-2 advantage that came not longer after the North Stars scored two power-play goals.

“Against these guys and especially at this time of the year coming down the stretch, special teams [matter],” Mainhardt said. “Their special teams got them back in the game and we were able regain our composure and execute.”

Salituro broke the tie when he beat North Stars goaltender Brandon Stephenson. Michael Gunn and Brandon Saad assisted.

Then with Phantoms defenseman Carl Nielsen in the penalty box, Lundholm connected for the backbreaking goal.

“I was about to ice the puck but I saw we had an odd-man rush,” Lundholm said. “So I passed it to [Nick] Kenny and he hit me with a perfect pass. If I hadn’t scored, I would have been ... angry.

“When you score shorthanded, it totally kills the other team’s momentum, not only on the power play but on the shift to come,” Lundholm said.

Salituro agreed.

“That was our first surge of momentum,” Salituro said. “That’s really what got our team going and from there our team never quit.”

Mainhardt said responding to the North Stars’ goals “shows our maturity and it shows our mental toughness that we didn’t have earlier in the year. We have a young team and to be able to refocus and get back to the game plan is something we are really happy about at this point in the season.”

The victory gives the Phantoms (34-12-5, 73 points) an 11-point edge over the third-place North Stars (28-17-6, 62). They also possess a nine-point lead over second-place Team USA, which was idle Friday but has remaining three more games than the leaders.

A victory against the North Stars tonight or Sunday afternoon will give the Phantoms’ three home games when the North Division playoffs begin in three weeks. The division’s top four teams qualify for the postseason.

In the fight-filler third period, the Phantoms netted two power-play goals and another shorthanded one.

Acknowledging a slow start, Mainhardt was pleased with the effort his players showed after having last weekend off.

“You’re always concerned about what type of team will show up after a weekend off,” Mainhardt said. “We definitely started a little sluggish, but once we got the cobwebs out, we rolled pretty well.”

Johnny Meo scored on the first shot of the game. Brandon Saad’s first of two goals made it 2-0.

For the North Stars, Nathan Urbaniak assisted on Kyle Bonis’ power-play goal then tallied on an another man-advantage for the 2-2 tie.

williams@vindy.com