Rapid start has MV in control

By Tom Williams

The Phantoms’ 4-1 win keeps them nine points ahead of Team USA.

YOUNGSTOWN — A four-goal outburst in the first period has the Mahoning Valley Phantoms back in control of their destiny.

Playing their main threat for first place of the North American Hockey League’s North Division, the Phantoms regained control of the race Tuesday.

Goaltender Garrett Bartus made 39 stops against the U.S. National team in a 4-1 victory at the Chevrolet Centre that snapped the Phantoms’ two-game losing streak.

The victory keeps the Phantoms (35-14-5, 75 points) nine points ahead of Team USA (31-15-4, 66 points). In Ann Arbor, Mich., Team USA’s other squad defeated the Motor City Machine, 8-3.

“This feels good because we were in a little slump,” said Bartus (12-7-3). “It feels good to bounce back against this team because we are going to be seeing them in the playoffs, for sure.”

The Phantoms have four games remaining — two this weekend against the St. Louis Bandits (39-9-6, 84)in Missouri and two next week at home against the Alpena Ice Diggers (26-21-5, 57).

Team USA has eight games remaining, including four this weekend for their split squads.

The Phantoms’ magic numbers are two for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs (two points earned by the Phantoms or lost by the Traverse City North Stars) and eight for the division title (points earned by the Phantoms or lost by Team USA).

After a 35-minute delay waiting for on-ice officials, Josh Bussell rewarded fans for their patience by stopping a Trevor Shively slapshot and sending the puck from past Team USA goaltender Brandon Maxwell 89 seconds into the game.

“When we get pucks to the net, it creates a lot more chances for us, with rebounds and deflections,” Bussell said. “Against a good team like Team USA, we’ll take anything we can get.”

Four minutes later, defenseman Carl Nielsen carried the puck into the Nationals’ zone on a two-on-one breakaway. Defenseman Jarred Tinordi blocked Nielsen’s pass and the puck went to the corner where the Nielsen retrieved it. He fed Brad Smith near the slot and his shot gave the Phantoms a 2-0 lead.

“It was a good play by Carl rushing it down the ice,” Smith said of his fifth goal of the season. “We’ve been stressing all year ‘go to the net, go to the net.’ So I just went to the net and it was there for me.

“It was huge to win this game,” Smith said. “We had to get our momentum back and start getting ready for playoffs.”

Bartus called the quick 2-0 lead “a little confidence booster. We had trouble finding the net the past couple of games so it gave us some confidence.”

The Phantoms’ onslaught continued late in the period. Jordy Trottier’s 18th goal of the season increased the lead to 3-0. Nick Kenney and Michael Gunn assisted.

Then with the Phantoms skating off a penalty to John Houston, a Nationals defender knocked the puck into the net, giving Brandon Saad his 29th goal.

One of Bartus’ best saves came midway through the third period when the Phantoms were on a power play. Team USA’s Austin Czarnik picked up a loose puck near the Phantoms blue line and took off. Bartus stopped the close-in shot.

“I had a lot of shots,” Bartus said. “That’s one thing [the Nationals] do, they throw it to the net. I was really busy but my team really helped me. The defense let me see those shots and they picked up my rebounds.”

Late in period three, Luke Moffatt directed the puck past Bartus on an assist from Sam Calabrese.