Pee Wees lose tourney game in overtime

The Youngstown Phantoms Pee Wee AA team earned a fifth-place regular season finish in the 12-team Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League (PAHL). That finish gave the Phantoms a berth in the post-season tournament.

Youngstown was paired against the Pittsburgh Huskies, a team the Phantoms had played four times this season, going 1-3.

Youngstown took a roughing penalty at 5:58 of the first period. Pittsburgh took advantage and scored at 5:33 to take a 1-0 lead.

In the second period, Youngstown committed a cross check and roughing penalty while the Huskies had an elbowing, roughing and checking penalty.

Youngstown was able to tie the game at 1-1 when Alex Ritz scored on a power play. He was assisted by Tallon Price (Poland). The third period had the Phantoms in the box for eight minutes. Playing shorthanded, Youngstown’s Devin Whitaker (Boardman) broke away and scored at 8:09 of the third period. At 6:48, the Phantoms took a penalty for hooking and followed that up with a holding penalty at 6:02. Youngstown was able to kill off the five-on-three and finally the five-on-four.

As the Youngstown player was leaving the penalty box, another player stepped on the ice, giving the team another penalty for too many men on the ice at 3:55 remaining. The Phantoms were tiring from playing short-handed and gave up the tying goal at 3:02 of the game.

The game ended in a tie and forced a sudden death overtime. The Huskies won with the game-winning goal at 4:15 of the overtime.

Nick Beck (Boardman) faced 24 shots, while the Phantoms managed 25 shots.