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Phantoms even the series with Team USA in a rout
By matthew peaslee
youngstown
Five months ago, the Youngs-town Phantoms skated into the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor, Mich., and were defeated by Team USA, 10-3.
“They dominated us,” Phantoms goaltender Matt O’Connor said. “They flat-out embarrassed us.”
Jump ahead 153 days later and it was the Nationals who were blown out — and swept — by Youngstown. On Saturday night at the Covelli Centre, the home team won 6-1. The Phantoms have now won four of their last five games and seven of their last 10.
“We’re a whole new team,” Phantoms forward Alex Gacek said. “Since the beginning of the year, we’ve learned so much and grown so much and it’s a great feeling in the locker room now.”
O’Connor says that the opening day embarrassment was just a fluke of taking Team USA lightly. The past two wins evened the season series at three game apiece.
“Since then, we’ve had a burning grit inside of us not to let that game define us or our season,” he said. “Now that we take them seriously, we play our game and we feel that we can beat any team in this league.”
Youngstown (28-14-5) scored the first four goals, three of which were in the first period. Pat Conte, JT Stenglein, Dylan Margonari and Soren Jonzzon all notched a score, with Gacek assisting on two of them.
As any team-oriented hockey player would say, Gacek likes helping the team win, “an assist is as good as a goal,” but nabbing one of your own is always a good feeling.
He got it, his 12th goal of the year, in the third period by corralling a stray puck and driving it from center ice to the goal.
“I saw a loose puck and used my speed to burn through,” Gacek said. “I dragged the goalie [Hunter Miska] out a little bit so I could slip it between his legs.”
Later in the third, Eric Sweetman scored a shorthanded goal and, yet again, Gacek was there with the assist.
“We didn’t take our foot off the pedal,” Gacek said. “We just kept going.”
The Dracut, Mass. native is seventh on the team with 27 points.
“His impact doesn’t always show up on the score sheet,” Youngstown coach Anthony Noreen said. “He plays the game so hard and he deserves the points.”
With the win, the Phantoms remain in third place in the United States Hockey League Eastern Conference with 13 games to go. The top six teams qualify for the postseason.
“If we had the confidence level, we could do it,” Noreen said. “But the more important thing is what it took in the type of effort, execution and preparation. To perform like that for two straight nights, we have to carry it with us for the rest of the season and bring the added confidence along.”
O’Connor, who made 30 saves, is a true product of progression. The only goal he allowed was a second period slap shot from Hudson Fasching.
“I think I could have stopped that one, too,” O’Connor said. “I was just trying to get my feet set and make plays on the puck.
“My game has gotten down to the point where it’s just one or two errors and I’ve been coming away from games really happy with myself.”
Team USA is now 19-20-4 and sixth in the East.