Despite fast start, Phantoms tumble

Staff report

GREEN BAY, WIS.

One of the quickest goals in Youngstown Phantoms history was not enough to produce a road victory in one of the USHL’s toughest venues.

Alexander Dahl needed just 26 seconds to score on Green Bay goaltender Michael Rotolo in Saturday’s game at the Resch Center. Josh Nenadal assisted on the goal.

But the Gamblers, the defending champions of the league’s Clark Cup, responded with the next three goals for a 3-1 victory for a two-game sweep of the Phantoms (5-9-0, 10 points).

The Phantoms are playing without two of their top scorers. Austin Cangelosi and JT Stenglein are representing Team USA at the World Junior A Challenge in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

Midway through the first period, Grigory Dikushin tied the game for the Gamblers. Early in the second period, Ryan Siroky scored the game-winner on a power-play goal. Kevin Irwin’s empty-netter ended the scoring.

Phantoms goalie Patrick Spano made 21 saves while Rotolo stopped 38 shots.

“The higher the level, the harder it is to come back,” Phantoms head coach Anthony Noreen said. “You can’t expect to win if you surrender leads as early and often as we have.”

Friday, the Phantoms lost to the Gamblers, 5-0.