Ambrosia’s short-handed goal ignites Phantoms

March 3, 2012 at 12:09a.m.

YOUNgstown

Four goals in 6:45 of playing time were enough to chase the Youngstown Phantoms’ recent blues at the Covelli Centre.

The Phantoms (27-14-5, 59 points) scored five times in the second period to defeat Team USA 6-3 on Friday, snapping a three-game home losing streak to move into third place in the Eastern Conference.

“We were extremely opportunistic,” Phantoms head coach Anthony Noreen after his players twice wiped out second-period deficits for Youngstown’s first home win since Jan. 27.

“Going into the second [period facing] a four-and-a-half minute penalty kill, I thought we did a great job,” Noreen said. “We weathered the storm and that set the table for the rest of the way. Our confidence started rolling and we started making some plays 5-on-5.”

Trailing 1-0 late in the first period, Phantoms forward J.T. Stenglein was assessed a five-minute major penalty for charging.

The penalty initially worked in the Phantoms’ favor when penalty killers Austin Cangelosi and Mike Ambrosia teamed up for a shorthanded goal.

“[Their] chemistry really gets to [shine] with a little more ice,” Noreen said. “Power-play [units] have a tendency to sit on their heels a little and those two will look to pounce.”

Cangelosi stripped the puck then fed Ambrosia on the fly who beat goaltender Curtis Frye with his breakaway shot just 25 seconds into the second period.

“That was huge,” defenseman Daniel Renouf said. “Ambro and Cange do wonders on the penalty kill.”

Ambrosia said he didn’t see the play Cangelosi made to spring him.

“I just saw the puck squirt [free] and I knew he was around so I started skating up the ice,” Ambrosia said. “I knew I had room because both of the defensemen pinched.”

Noreen praised Cangelosi for “good read through the neutral zone and an even better pass to find Mike streaking.”

In the final 35 seconds of the five-minute man-advantage, the Nationals regained the lead when goaltender Matt O’Connor was unable to cover Connor Chatham’s shot after it fell into the goal crease. Tyler Kelleher swooped in to knock the puck home for a 2-1 lead.

Still, the Phantoms felt they had held serve during the long disadvantage.

“We did a great job penalty-killing,” said Renouf who assisted on Ambrosia’s second goal. “Coaches did a great job of figuring out their power play.”

Ambrosia said limiting the Nationals to one goal and negating it with the shorthanded score “got us kick-started for all that energy. Five goals in one period — I don’t think we’ve done that all season.”

With 7:15 remaining in the second period, the Phantoms cashed in on another breakaway goal, this one by Sam Anas. Forty-one seconds later, the Phantoms took the lead as Soren Jonzzon torched Frye with a 20-foot shot. Ryan Belonger earned an assist.

Two minutes later, the Phantoms’ lead grew to 4-2 when Ambrosia banked a shot off a Nationals defender into the net.

“The number one thing you think of when you are talking about penalty-killing is work ethic and nobody works harder for loose pucks or battles harder than Mike Ambrosia,” Noreen said. “Or is willing to sacrifice his body.”

Alex Gacek then connected on a feed from Dylan Margonari for a another breakaway goal late in the second period. Gacek’s goal prompted USA Coach Don Granato to yank Frye for Hunter Miska.

Anas added an empty-net goal in the final minute.

O’Connor stopped 29 shots to earn the victory. Frye and Miska combined for 16 saves.