Gacek scores only goal for Phantoms

Staff report

INDIANAPOLIS, IND.

For two periods the Youngstown Phantoms dominated the game, but not the scoreboard.

That failure to cash in on their opportunities cost the Phantoms dearly in the third period against the indiana Ice.

Dan Sherer, Drew Smolcynski and Danill Tarasov notched third-period goals for Indiana, as the Ice rallied for a 4-1 victory in a United States Hockey League game on Saturday night.

The loss was Youngstown’s third in four games against Indiana this season — all three defeats have come in the last eight days — and snapped the Phantoms’ two-game winning streak.

Alex Gacek’s seventh goal of the season, a short-handed tally on assists by Dylan Margonari and Ryan Lowney, gave Youngstown a 1-0 lead with seven minutes remaining in the second period.

But, despite outshooting Indiana 28-12 over the first 40 minutes, that was all the offense the Phantoms couldmuster.

Indiana finally broke through on a power-play goal by Woody Hudson with 47 seconds remaining in the middle period. Christian Hilbrich and Matthew Krug earned the assists.

Sherer’s goal — his first of the season — broke the tie with 13:17 remaining in the game, and Smolcynski added his third of the season with 7:14 to go. Tarasov’s eighth goal of the season was an empty-netter with 1:38 left.