Phantoms continue playoff push on road

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Phantoms look to continue their playoff push tonight, when they visit the Waterloo Black Hawks in a United States Hockey League game.

The Phantoms (20-24-5, 45 points) pucked up three points last weekend to remain in the sixth and final playoff spot in the USHL’s Eastern Conference, just ahead of Waterloo.

It’s a tightly-contested race, though, evidenced by the fact that the Phantom trail fourth-place Team USA by five points.

The Phantoms finish off the second game of a home-and-home series with the Black Hawks tonight.

Youngstown has gone 1-1-1 against Waterloo (16-24-7, 39 points) this season and the past two games played between these two teams has been decided in either overtime or a shootout.

Last Saturday at the Covelli Centre, the Phantoms jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Waterloo. Adam Berkle recorded his eighth multi-point game of the season for Youngstown. He scored two power-play goals, including one that sent the game into overtime.

On Friday the Phatoms killed off five penalties in the first period and went on to defeat Fargo 2-1.

Ryan Belonger and Dylan Margonari scored for Youngstown, and Jordan Tibbett stopped 40 shots for his sixth win in 11 games since returning to the Phantoms.

“We battled through adversity in that first period [against Fargo],” said Tibbett. “Games like this really help our team grow and it really builds our character. We grit our teeth and we pushed through and that will definitely help us down the stretch run.”

The Phantoms’ next home game is March 17 against Cedar Rapids.