Phantoms, winners of three in a row, host Cedar Rapids tonight

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Phantoms wrap up a three-game homestand and go after their fourth consecutive win tonight, when they host the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders at the Covelli Centre.

The Phantoms (3-1-1) swept Des Moines over the weekend and will try to stretch that streak against the RoughRiders (2-1-1), who split a pair of games last weekend. Cedar Rapids won 10-2 over Sioux City Friday before falling 3-1 to Waterloo on Saturday.

Phantoms coach Anthony Noreen says his team will be challenged by Cedar Rapids, which has averaged 39 wins and more than 83 points over the past three seasons.

“[Cedar Rapids] is a team that traditionally doesn’t go through much of a growing period,” he said. “They’re usually full-go right from the beginning, as was evidenced last year, so it will be a good test for us.

“They’re an established team that has their identity in place, and we’re a team that’s looking to build our own. This game will be a good measuring block to see where we’re at as a team early in the season.”

Last season the RoughRiders finished with a 42-12-6 record to win the Anderson Cup for the best regular-season record in the USHL.

Cedar Rapids won all four meetings against the Phantoms last season, but last month in the USHL Fall Classic, Youngstown came away with a 5-4 victory.