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Strang’s hat trick lifts Phantoms to easy win
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NET PLAY: Youngstown Phantoms goalie Mike Mahalak and defenseman Dan Senkbeil try to keep Team USA’s Travis Boyd (93) from scoring during Monday’s game at the Covelli Centre.
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I’LL TAKE THAT: Ben Paulides (27) of the Youngstown Phantoms tries to keep the puck from Team USA’s Austin Wuthrich during Monday’s game at the Covelli Centre. The Phantoms won 7-3.
The Phantoms snapped a six-game losing streak, beating Team USA, 7-3.
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN — Winless in the new year and looking to break a six-game slide that dated to Dec. 29, it was only fitting that the Youngstown Phantoms used a record-setting night to get back on the winning track.
Cody Strang’s first career hat trick — the first hat trick for a Phantoms player as members of the USHL — propeled Youngstown to a 7-3 victory over Team USA on Monday at the Covelli Centre.
Eight records were set and another tied as the Phantoms improved to 14-17-2 (28 points), also stopping a three-game home skid.
“It’s been a long time coming. I thought we played well the last several games but a few bad breaks and getting away from our game plan proved costly,” said Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt.
“Tonight we played a full 60 minutes, made the necessary adjustments and you saw the end result.”
Mainhardt had high praise for Strang.
“Cody is a natural scorer; a very gifted player of whom we have high expectations,” said Mainhardt. “He’s headed to the University of Wisconsin to play collegiate hockey and just remember that program takes no slouches.”
The Phantoms set records for shots on goal with 44; goals in a period with five; power play goals in a period and game with three, and individual points in a game (Taylor Holstrom with four on a goal and three assists).
“It’s been a month since my last goal so this is no doubt a great feeling fort me tonight,” said Strang. “When we stay out of the penalty box and get shots on goal, only good things happen.
“We’ll use this game as something we can build on as we hit the road for two games before returning home for a big five-game homestand,” Strang said.
Team USA struck first when Rocco Grimaldi scored the first of his two opening-period goals; a wrister that snuck past the outstretched glove of Phantoms goalie Matt Mahalak at the 10:50 mark.
His unassisted goal came on the Nationals’ second power play opportunity of the game.
Grimaldi’s second goal of the period at 16:19 gave Team USA a 2-0 advantage but Youngstown’s Tom Serratore found the basket for his 11th goal of the year at 17:27 to cut the lead to 2-1 after one period.
Youngstown, who was averaging 25.53 shots coming into the game, launched 15 missiles alone in the opening period as they outshot Team USA 15-9.
The second period was a stark contrast to the first as the Phantoms set records for goals in a period and shots in a frame (22) to build a 6-2 advantage.
Adam Berkle got the scoring started for Youngstown with a power play goal at 10:45 to knot the score at 2-all.
It was Berkle’s eighth tally of the year and the first of five goals for Youngstown in the period.
Holstrom gave the Phantoms the lead for good when he notched his eighth goal at 13:48.
Strang, who scored all three of his goals in the second stanza, made it 4-2 with a power play tally at 14:37, adding his second straight power play goal, this time with a two-man advantage at 17:08, as the Phantoms increased their lead to 5-2.
His third goal at 19:22 gave Youngstown a comfortable 6-2 cushion.
It didn’t take the Phantoms long after the break to add to their lead as Jiri Sekac, a native of the Czech Republic, tallied his first goal of the year just 1:40 into the period for a 7-2 lead.
Team USA’s J.T. Miller, a native of East Palestine, rounded out the scoring with his third goal of the season at 18:58. Team USA fell to 10-19-3 (23 points), losing for second time in three tries this season against the Phantoms.
Youngstown will take to the road for a two-game series beginning Friday when they take on the Waterloo Black Hawks, beginning at 8:05 p.m.