Gacek scores twice in Phantoms' win

Staff report

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA

The Youngstown Phantoms exploded for three goals in less than five minutes of the second period, and went on to defeat the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, 4-3, in a United States Hockey League game on Saturday night.

Two of the goals in the Phantoms' flurry were tallied by Alex Gacek, his eighth and ninth of the season.

That have the Phantoms (23-13-3) a 4-1 lead with 10:58, and they held on after the RoughRiders (16-14-8) scored a short-handed goal and another with just three seconds remaining in the game.

Dylan Margonari added two assists for Youngstown, and goaltender Matthew O'Connor had 35 saves.

The Phantoms scored the game's first goal just 3:20 after the opening faceoff when Austin Cangelosi notched his 19th score of the season, on assists by Mike Ambrosia and Sam Anas.

Cedar Rapids tied it with 4:05 remaining in the first period on Dennis Kravchenko's seventh goal. Gerald Mayhew was credited with the helper.

That's the way the score stood until 15:48 remained in the second period, when Gacek scored his first goal of the game on assists by Margonari and Todd Koritzinsky.

At the 14:14 mark, Anas scored an unassisted goal, his 10th of the season, and Gacek made it 4-1 with 10:58 remaining on a Margonari assist.

Cedar Rapids closed to 4-2 with 8:54 left in the middle period on Thomas Forgione's sixth goal of the season, on an assist by Landon Smith.

That's the way it stayed until three seconds remaining, the RoughRiders pulled goaltender Jake Hildebrand and Ian Brady scored his fourth goal of the season.

The Phantoms won despite being outshot 38-21, and were 1 for 2 on the power play.