4-0 deficit early too much for Phantoms

Staff report

Indianapolis

An early 4-0 deficit was too much for the Youngstown Phantoms to overcome on Saturday against the Indiana Ice.

The Phantoms (21-26-5,47 points) battled for the final two periods but fell 5-3 to the Ice (33-16-4, 70 points).

Ice goaltender Casey DeSmith turned aside 37 of 40 Phantoms shots on goal to lead Indiana.

The Ice opened the scoring 6:21 into the opening frame when a broken play in front of Jordan Tibbett resulted in a goal.

The puck was thrown out from behind the Phantoms net and as Tibbett went to cover the puck it slid underneath him and onto the stick of David Johnstone who buried the puck in the open net.

A 2-on-1 break gave the Ice a two-goal lead. Daniil Tarasov and Brian Ferlin moved into the Phantoms zone on an odd man attack and Tarasov took a feed from Ferlin between the circles. Tarasov’s wrist shot beat Tibbett.

Will Aide’s goal late in the period made it 3-0.

After Blake Coleman’s goal made it 4-0, Phantoms Ty Loney and Jiri Sekac converted on a 2-on-1 break, with Sekac scoring.

Dylan Margonari’s goal in the first minute of the third period gave the Phantoms hope. With the Phantoms killing off a carry over 5-on-3, Margonari deflected the puck into the neutral zone and as he retrieved the puck at center ice he made his way into the offensive zone on a breakaway. DeSmith denied the first attempt by Margonari but he scored on the rebound.

After Tarasov scored his second goal, Adam Berkle scored 35 seconds later.

Tibbett made 28 saves.

The Phantoms’ road trip next weekend goes to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday and Omaha, Neb., on Saturday.