43
Phantoms fall in overtime
Youngstown goalie Greg Lewis made 44 saves
By john Bassetti
YOUNGSTOWN
Hockey has high-sticking, slashing, hooking, cross-checking and fighting among the many penalties possible during a game.
How about texting?
That’s what the Covelli Centre jumbotron showed one fan doing as it panned the arena during Friday night’s USHL game.
Not only should it be banned behind the wheel of a car, but in the stands when there’s much to keep your eyes on, especially because Youngstown’s game against the Sioux Falls Stampede was so close.
Unfortunately, the Phantoms lost, 3-2, in overtime.
Marcus Perrier had the game-winning goal to extend Sioux Falls’ league-best winning streak to seven.
Perrier’s shot came 1:47 into the five-minute overtime period.
Sioux Falls coach Kevin Hartzell said that the clincher was just a matter of time.
“We had a lot of chances to score goals tonight, but their goalie [Greg Lewis] did a good job,” Hartzell said. “We had a couple of pucks just kind of bounced harmlessly by the net when they look like they’re going in, so you’ve just got to stick with it and we did.”
Sioux Falls (18-10-4) is one of the USHL’s leaders in shots-against average.
“We’re pretty stingy because our guys buy into team defense,” Hartzell said. “Maybe, in the end, that’s what won it because, as good as our offense is, the pucks weren’t going in, but, defensively, we were pretty good.”
Phantoms coach Curtis Carr said that his squad didn’t play great, but they played well enough to give themselves a chance to get the win.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t, but I thought Greg Lewis was outstanding. For the most part, their shots were from the perimeter, so he made the saves that we needed him to do. Some were big saves for him.”
If there was any consolation for the Phantoms, it’s the point the team picked up in the standings.
“The positive is, we’re in a tight playoff race, so to get any kind of points right now is good,” Carr said of the Phantoms (12-19-3, 27 points). “That’s huge for us now.
“Unfortunately, Greg got screened on the last shot,” Carr said. “Our guy went out to block it but failed to block it and Greg didn’t see it.”
Thomas O’Regan put Sioux Falls on the scoreboard first with a left-handed slap-shot at close range off of a rebound at 11:34. Jiri Sekac tied the game with just 19 seconds remaining in the first period when he deflected Ben Paulides’ shot from the blue line. Sekac got a piece of the fast-moving puck to zip past goalie Juho Olkinuora.
Forward Quinn Smith broke the 1-1 deadlock at 3:48 of the second period with an assist from Adam Berkle.
Sioux Falls re-tied the game when Connor O’Reilly scored at 10:31 of the second period.