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Phantoms still feel Team USA haunt; lose 2-1 for third home loss
YOUNGSTOWN
To honor Friday the 13th, the Covelli Centre JumboTron displayed facts about the oft-dreaded day throughout breaks in play of the Phantoms-Team USA game.
The most stirring message may have been noting the fear of the day itself.
Friggatriskaidekaphobia.
Entering Friday’s contest, Team USA was the only USHL team the Phantoms haven’t defeated. It’s probably not a fear or phobia they have with Team USA, but if it is, call it Just-too-frustrating-aphobia.
Youngstown still felt the effects with a 2-1 loss.
“They’re good with their sticks and they’re tough on defense,” Phantoms center Austin Cangelosi said. “They’re tough.”
In games decided by one goal, the Phantoms are 5-4; by two goals, they’re 3-0.
“I thought it was one of those games that could have gone either way,” said coach Anthony Noreen. “The way the season has gone so far, it seems that we’ve won those ones. I think that’s part of the makeup of our team. I thought [the effort] was okay but not good enough to beat an elite team like that.”
As has been customary for nearly every game on their home ice, the Phantoms netted the first goal. Staring down goal tender Curtis Frye from 15 feet away, Zach Tatrn scored at the 14:29 mark off an assist from JT Steinglein, his first of the season.
“He’s a guy who we want and we expect to crack the lineup,” Noreen said. “If he plays the way he did tonight, I expect he’ll do more of that in the future. He’s got the ability to score.”
Later in the opening period, Tyler Motte tied it with a wrist shot over the right shoulder of Youngstown goalie Matthew O’Connor.
After a scoreless second period, Team USA’s Tyler Kelleher scored the deciding goal with seven minutes, 13 seconds left in regulation. He wrapped around the left side of the net in video game-like fashion and snuck one past O’Connor’s right shin.
“That was probably the first open seam we gave them in the whole third period,” Noreen said. “That’s what happens when you play highly skilled players. There’s a reason those guys are playing for that team.”
Most Phantoms players are either 18 or 19 years old. There are some 20 year olds and just five 17 year olds on a roster of 25. All of Team USA’s players are 17 or younger.
“I think we underestimate them a bit,” Cangelosi said. “They’re the youngest players in the league and we’ve had a lack of energy against them.”
Noreen doesn’t want that when the teams face off again tonight at 7:15. But he does want proper consistency.
That’s not easy.
“It’s extremely hard, especially when you have young men that aren’t professionals yet,” he said. “That’s why they’re playing in this league to learn that consistency. That’s what it takes to be a man, to be a pro hockey player, to be a guy who shows up everyday to be counted on. That’s the biggest difference from our guys and the guys that are playing 82 games in the NHL.”
With 25 second remaining, Noreen called a time out to draw up a play stemming from a face off on the Phantoms side. The puck got tangled up, but they regained possession with Cangelosi taking a shot in the final 10 seconds. Missing, it was cleared out to Alex Gacek who had one final try at the buzzer — it flew wide right.
Team USA out-shot the Phantoms 27-17 and 10-6 in the last period.