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Phantoms fall at home to undefeated RoughRiders
By Tom Williams
YOUNGSTOWN
Surrendering three goals within seven minutes helped deliver the Youngstown Phantoms’ first home loss of the season.
During the middle 20 minutes of Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, the Phantoms were outshot 15-1 and fell behind 4-0.
They responded with a stronger third period, scoring the next two goals and throwing a late scare into the undefeated RoughRiders.
But in the final two minutes, the RoughRiders regained control as the Phantoms were unable to get the puck deep enough into the RoughRiders’ zone, stranding goaltender Matt O’Connor in his crease when an extra attacker was needed.
The RoughRiders’ hard work paid off with Stu Wilson’s goal with 18 seconds remaining.
“We were coming undone,” Phantoms captain Adam Berkle said of the second period, “but we got back to the locker room [and] we picked it up.
“We figured out that we were not out of this game, that we could bounce back [if we could] get some opportunities,” Berkle said.
Ahead 1-0, the RoughRiders seized control on goals by Anthony DeAngelo, Jayson Megna and Sam Warning.
“One thing just led to another,” Berkle said of the second-period meltdown. “We got down on ourselves and nothing went our way. But we bounced back.”
The win by the undefeated RoughRiders (4-0-0, 8 points) elevates them into a tie for first place with the Phantoms (4-2-0, 8 points) in the USHL’s Eastern Division.
Cedar Rapids goaltender Brady Hjelle stopped 19 shots for his fourth win.
“It’s been a real good job of teamwork so far,” RoughRiders coach Mark Carlson said. “Brady has been making some key saves for us [and his teammates] have done a real good job of not giving up the second chance.”
In the final period, the Phantoms had a 9-4 shots advantage.
Mike Ambrosia’s first goal of the season, on an assist by Scott Mayfield, ended Hjelle’s shutout bid.
With 6:42 remaining, Ryan Belonger netted his second goal in as many nights on an assist from Jiri Sekac.
“Once we got into the third period, it felt like he was fighting off a lot of shots,” said Berkle of Hjelle (4-0-0). “We just needed to get shots on him, we weren’t really testing him at the beginning of the game.”
Hjelle admitted he’s the only RoughRider who would not have minded a little more work in the second period.
“It was a lot of fun to watch but I definitely got pretty bored,” Hjelle said. “There were maybe two shots and one was an icing [penalty].
“But they came out hard in the third period and made it a game so it’s a compliment to their team that they never gave up,” Hjelle said.
Ahead 1-0, each team had a skater in the penalty box when DeAngelo started the second-period scoring barrage. Taking a pass from Warning, the defenseman shot the puck past O’Connor for a two-goal edge.
DeAngelo earned another point when he fed Megna who skated around the Phantoms’ defense, pulled O’Connor out and backhanded the puck into the goal.
“We’re using our speed better,” Carlson said. “When we’re skating, we’re much more effective.”
Warning’s goal came on an assist by Casey Hohmann, who scored a tap-in goal in the first period.