Phantoms extend win streak

Staff report

MUSKEGON, Mich.

Adam Berkle, Stu Higgins and Ty Loney scored goals as the Youngstown Phantoms defeated the Muskegon Lumberjacks, 3-2, on Sunday for their third straight win.

With 11 minutes remaining, Higgins broke a 2-2 tie with a wrist shot that beat Lumberjacks goalie Paul Berrafato. Earning assists were Berkle and Jordan Young.

“We were in our neutral zone fore-check,” Higgins said. “Berkle pressured the weak side defenseman and I went into the zone on a two-on-one with [John] Fritsche. He [Fritsche] was covered so I decided to put it on net and it went in.”

Twice, the Phantoms (8-10-1, 17 points) rallied to wipe out one-goal deficits.

The Lumberjacks (7-7-4, 18 points) jumped ahead 1-0 when Mike Conderman beat Phantoms goaltender Matt O’Connor on the stick side with one second remaining on their second power play.

In the second period, Berkle tied the game on the Phantoms’ second power play opportunity. Scott Mayfield and Ben Paulides earned assists.

“We didn’t have many shots on net [in the second period],” Phantoms coach Curtis Carr said. “Muskegon was throwing a lot of pucks on net but we did not give them many ‘Grade-A’ scoring opportunities.”

The Lumberjacks needed only nine seconds at the start of the third period to take a 2-1 lead as Conderman scored again.

About two minutes later, Mayfield fought Brendan Woods. Then Justin Stevens took on the Lumberjacks’ Carter Foguth.

“The fights gave our guys some life,” Carr said. “When the guys stepped up, it gave our guys the grit and energy to finish out this game.”

With 17 minutes to go, Loney scored a power-play goal for a 2-2 score.

The Phantoms were outshot by the Lumberjacks, 27-23. O’Connor stopped 25 shots.