Strang earns USHL honor; Paulides picks

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown Phantoms forward Cody Strang was named offensive player of the week by the United States Hockey League on Monday.

Strang scored five points (three goals, two assists) and posted a plus-four rating to help Youngstown to two wins and a shootout loss over the weekend.

He scored the game-winning goal with under two minutes to play in the third period of Friday’s 4-3 victory over Sioux City, which snapped a six-game losing streak.

Strang had a shorthanded goal and an assist in Saturday’s 4-3 win against Muskegon.

He scored a goal and an assist against Team USA on Sunday in a 4-3 shootout loss.

Strang, from Madison, Wis., is second on the Phantoms in scoring with 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 29 games during his second USHL season and he is tied for fifth overall in the league with a plus-15 rating.

Paulides to Miami

Phantoms defenseman Ben Paulides has committed to Miami (Ohio) for the fall of 2011.

Paulides, of Los Gatos, Calif., is in his second season with the Phantoms. In 30 games, he has six assists and 73 penalty minutes.

“You always hear people say, ‘There are no words to describe this,’ but there really aren’t any,” said Paulides. “I am just happy to know that I will continue my hockey career at the college level. I knew I wanted to get my degree and to get it a top school like Miami is great.”