Phantoms played well despite having flu bug

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — Despite having four regulars out with illness, the Youngstown Phantoms made the most of their first USHL road trip.

Last weekend, the Phantoms (2-1-0, four points) posted the expansion team’s first league wins to put them in fourth place in the East Division. First, they defeated the Des Moines Buccaneers, 5-4, in Iowa then won 5-3 against the Chicago Steel in Illinois.

“We worked hard and did all the little things right,” Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt said. “When you get 10 goals in two games, you probably had at least a couple of hard-working goals thrown in there.”

This weekend, the Phantoms are back on the road for another short two-game trip. Tonight, they’ll be in Lincoln, Neb., to face the Stars (2-2-0, 4 points), the fourth-place team in the West Division.

Saturday night, the Phantoms will return to Des Moines for another battle with the Buccaneers (1-3, two points, sixth in the West).

Youngstown’s first two wins were the fruits of the labors of both USHL veterans and first-year players alike.

The win in Des Moines was a case in point: Stuart Higgins, Andrew Lamont and Jean-Laurence Beauchemin each scored their first USHL goals in the first period; then former Green Bay Gambler Jefferson Dahl popped in a pair in the second frame to give the visitors a three-goal lead they would not relinquish.

“Once we proved that we were willing to go to the [opposing] net, all of a sudden things started opening up on the perimeter and you saw the results,” Mainhardt said.

Goaltender Matt Mahalak picked up the victory in his first USHL start, turning away 25 of 29 Buccaneers shots.

The trend continues against Chicago. Rookie defenseman Scott Mayfield teamed with Lamont to provide Youngstown’s first two goals, followed by Taylor Holstrom and Brett Gensler, both acquired in the USHL Expansion Draft, netting the tying and go-ahead goals late in the third. Nick Czinder threw in his first league tally minutes later.

“We all stayed focused [Sunday] and kept pushing until we got the tying goal,” said Holstrom, who was named offensive player of the week by the USHL league office Monday after his five-point (one goal, four assists) weekend.

“The team really played well in both games and everyone started buying into how the coaches want us to play.”