Sunday, September 27, 2009
Youngstown finished its five-game exhibition slate with a 2-3 record.
special to the vindicator
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Although the USHL Fall Classic is billed as a celebration of hockey, the Youngstown Phantoms weren’t exactly in a celebratory mood after dropping their first two Classic contests.
That all changed Saturday morning when Joe Zarbo victimized his former team by breaking a 2-2 tie late in the third period, boosting the Youngstown Phantoms to a 3-2 comeback victory over the Tri-City Storm at the Tyson Events Center.
Zarbo, who skated for the Storm last season before coming to Youngstown as a free agent, curled around the Tri-City goal and turned into the high slot, where he ripped a perfect wrister off the left post and in behind Storm goalie Carsen Chuback with 1:54 left in regulation.
Coincidentally, the Phantoms were victimized by a goal at the exact same second Friday against Des Moines, only to turn the tables in their final preseason game.
Youngstown finished its five-game exhibition slate 2-3 heading into next Saturday’s home opener against the defending Clark Cup champion Indiana Ice.
The Phantoms fell behind in the opening minutes as Maxwell Tardy swept in front of goalie Jordan Tibbett and stashed his first of two in the contest.
Tom Serratore answered right back for Youngstown, driving the net and chopping in the rebound of a Rich Young drive at 9:35 of the opening period.
Tardy’s second goal, a redirection of an Andrew Panzarella centering pass, put Tri-City on top midway through the second frame, but the Storm, who finished the preseason without a win, would see the Phantoms rally back in the third.
With Youngstown on the power play, defenseman Scott Mayfield blistered a snap shot from the blueline through traffic that beat Chuback over his blocker hand, tying the game 2-2 with 12:50 remaining.
The Phantoms continued to apply offensive-zone pressure throughout the third and were rewarded when Zarbo nailed the game winner.
The Youngstown Phantoms are a Member Club of the United States Hockey League, America’s only Tier I hockey league and key developer of National Hockey League talent with more than 100 alumni on current NHL rosters.