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Phantoms finish season with win
By Tom Williams
YOUNGSTOWN
The Youngstown Phantoms closed their second USHL season with their second straight eight-goal output and hat trick.
But it wasn’t quite enough to extend the season.
In Saturday’s season finale at the Covelli Centre, Ryan Belonger scored three goals in an 8-2 thrashing of the Chicago Steel.
“We did all we could do, we won our two games,” said Belonger of the final weekend and the playoff chase. “I take away from it that I’ll be able to put up points for a successful next season.”
The Phantoms finished 23-30-7 with 53 points — good for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
Also Saturday, the Waterloo Black Hawks defeated the Dubuque Fighting Saints 2-1 to finish with 55 points (24-29-7) and in sixth place. The top six teams in each conference qualify for the four-round playoffs.
The win over the Steel was the final junior hockey game for seven Phantoms. Goaltender Jordan Tibbett is hoping to be reinstated at Mercyhurst College but has legal issues to resolve first.
Forwards Cody Strang and Danny Mattson both will attend Bemidji State. Also moving on to college are forward Stuart Higgins (Maine), forward Adam Berkle (Bowling Green) and defenseman Ben Paulides (Miami).
And defenseman Scott Mayfield may have a date in late June at the NHL Draft.
He’s planning to attend the University of Denver next fall, but has been projected to be a late first-round pick.
“We really came together this last weekend,” said Mayfield. “It’s definitely not the outcome that we wanted. [But] compared to last this season, this was a huge step forward.”
Phantoms coach Curtis Carr called Saturday’s finale “kind of a tough night. To know that I coached them for the last time is a sad thing, but it’s also a happiness to see them move on and further their hockey careers.
“I’m very thankful for the effort that they’ve put in for the last two years."
Berkle, the team captain, said playing his final junior hockey game “felt a little bit like” graduation.
“It’s kind of bittersweet, but overall I thought we had a pretty good two years,” he said. “We improved this year. Next year should be good ... with a bunch of good guys returning.”
The highlight of Saturday’s game came with about eight minutes to go when Carr inserted backup goalie Sean Romeo for his first USHL minutes.
“We were all excited to see him get out there,” Berkle said. “He’s been paying his dues in practice and he worked hard every day.”
Romeo, a high school junior from North Carolina, served as the Phantoms’ emergency goalie when Matt O’Connor damaged knee ligaments in February. He made a couple of saves and was mobbed by the team at the final whistle.