Phantoms Jonzzon, Stenglein score twice

Staff report

BENSONVILLE, ILL.

Two goals each by Soren Jonzzon and J.T. Stenglein lifted the Youngstown Phantoms to Saturday’s 5-2 victory over the Chicago Steel and back into a second-place tie with Indiana.

Pat Conte also scored for the Phantoms (30-15-7, 67 points). Indiana’s overtime loss to Team USA earned a point for the Ice (30-14-7, 67 points), who have one more remaining game than Youngstown.

The Phantoms’ win gives them a three-point cushion on the fourth-place Dubuque Fighting Saints (30-18-4, 64 points), who lost 8-3 to Waterloo.

The top six teams in each conference qualify for the USHL playoffs. Only the top four seeds are guaranteed a home playoff game.

The Steel outshot the Phantoms, 29-23. Goaltender Matt O’Connor made 27 saves for the Phantoms.

Stenglein’s first goal came 12 seconds into the game and was unassisted.

The lead grew to 2-0 seven minutes later with Jonzzon’s first goal. O’Connor and defenseman Ryan Lowney earned assists as Steel goaltender Matthias Dahlstrom was yanked after the Phantoms’ second shot. Alex Sakellaropoulos finished the game in the Chicago net.

Early in the second period, Chicago’s Chris Joyaux scored a power-play goal to slice Youngstown’s lead to 2-1.

Conte’s goal, assisted by Jonathan Liau, restored a two-goal margin, but the Steel’s Michael Tallon scored late in the second period.

Midway through the third period, Jonzzon scored a power-play goal set up by Stenglein and Jordan Young for a 4-2 lead.

Stenglein added an empty-net goal.

The Phantoms’ penalty killers were successful at stopping five of the Steel’s power-play chances.

Six of the Phantoms’ remaining eight games will be played in the Mahoning Valley.