Phantoms announce schedule

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Phantoms will open the 2011-12 hockey season on Sept. 30 in Ann Arbor against Team USA, and two weeks later will make their home debut.

The Phantoms will begin their third season in the USHL. They play host to the Des Moines Buccaneers on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15 to open their home schedule.

Those will be the first of 30 home games at the Covelli Centre for the Phantoms.

Twelve of the USHL’s other 15 teams will make visits to the Covelli Centre next season.

The Chicago Steel, Indiana Ice, Muskegon Lumberjacks and Team USA will visit Youngstown a combined 16 times, with each club making four trips.

The Phantoms will also continue the School Day Game Tradition on Wednesday, Feb. 1, against Chicago.

The upcoming season will also feature a conference swap. The Waterloo Black Hawks will compete in the Western Conference, while defending Clark Cup champion Dubuque Fighting Saints will switch to the Eastern Conference, which includes the Phantoms.

The Phantoms will face Dubuque five times this season, which is one more game than last year, and they will face Waterloo only twice, which is a two game drop from the 2010-11 season.

At the conclusion of the 480-game regular season schedule, the USHL playoff format will remain the same as the top six teams from each conference will take part in the Clark Cup playoffs.

Season tickets for the 2011-12 season are on sale. Fans can call the Phantoms at 330-747-7825 for more information.