Phantoms fall to RoughRiders on the road

Staff report

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA

The rigors of the road caught up to the Youngstown Phantoms Saturday night at the Stable.

The Phantoms grabbed the game’s first goal but could not hold onto the lead as the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders followed with four unanswered and went on to win 5-2.

John Padulo scored both goals for Youngstown (20-19-0, 40 points), which was playing its third road game in as many days — all against different opponents.

Goalie Sean Romeo surrendered four goals on 19 shots and was tagged with the loss.

The Phantoms opened the first period with great energy and were rewarded 4:12 in. An errant pass at the Youngstown blue line sailed all the way down to the Cedar Rapids zone and Kyle Connor won the race to the loose puck.

Connor threaded a pass across the crease for Padulo, who tapped it in with ease for his ninth goal of the season.

The RoughRiders (16-20-5, 37 points) got on the board less than five minutes later when, after two failed clearing attempts, Jack Rowe knocked in a rebound. Then with just 1:49 remaining in the period while the Phantoms were in the midst of a line change, Dylan Steman poked the puck free at the Youngstown blue line and went in on a breakaway and beat Romeo.