Phantoms await fate after loss to Bandits

Mahoning Valley’s season is over unless Wenatchee loses in regulation today.

STAFF REPORT

MASON CITY, IOWA — Friday’s 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Bandits gave the Mahoning Valley Phantoms a 2-1-1 record in round-robin play at the North American Hockey League’s Robertson Cup Tournament.

They’ll find out this afternoon if their five points are good enough to advance to Sunday’s championship game.

Today at 4 p.m. at North Iowa Ice Arena, the Wenatchee Wild (2-1-0, four points) take on the Bismarck Bobcats (0-2-0). The Phantoms will advance only if the Wild lose in regulation.

“Having our fate out of our own hands is very disappointing,” Phantoms defenseman Carl Nielsen said. “We still believe we’re the best team here, but we let one slip away [Thursday] and gave away the first half of the game today.”

Thursday. the Wild rallied from a four-goal deficit to defeat the Phantoms, 5-4, in overtime.

“Now our season is in someone else’s hands, which is never a good thing,” Nielsen said.

Friday’s win put the two-time defending champion Bandits (3-0-0, six points) in the title contest.

They pounced on Phantoms goalie Jordan Tibbett for four goals in their first 20 shots.

Two goals in 29 seconds late in the first period got the Bandits rolling.

With Brandon Saad in the penalty box for slashing, the Bandits connected on their second power-play chance. Kyle Greco’s wristshot beat Tibbett for a 1-0 lead.

Moments later, Ryan Rashid swatted Tyler Klein’s centering feed over Tibbett’s glove for an even-strength goal.

Midway through the second period, the Bandits cashed in for two goals in 30 seconds.

Tyler Ellbrecht scored on a fluke play where he dumped the puck into the Phantoms zone and it bounced off the end-boards, hit Tibbett’s leg and rolled into the net.

Half a minute later, the lead was 4-0 when Rashid scored on a one-timer, chasing Tibbett to the bench.

Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt then put backup Garrett Bartus in to replace Tibbett.

With 3:40 to go before the second intermission, the Phantoms’ Michael Gunn ended Keith Kinkaid’s shutout bid with a five-on-three power-play goal set up by David Chaney.

Then with George Saad in the penalty box for high sticking, the Phantoms caught a break on the penalty kill. Johnny Meo stole the puck and skated into the Bandits’ zone where he was pulled down from behind by Kris Reinthaler.

Awarded a penalty shot, Meo made it count, beating Kinkaid, the NAHL’s Most Valuable Player, to slice the Bandits’ lead to 4-2.

The Phantoms created good chances on Kinkaid over the first 10-plus minutes of the third period, but Kinkaid turned away all 10 Mahoning Valley shots in the final frame.

Schooley added some insurance for the Bandits with 6:40 left in regulation, beating Bartus in transition.

Bartus finished with 13 saves in 27 minutes but did not factor in the decision. Kinkaid picked up his ninth playoff win against two losses, stopping 20 shots.