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Phantoms look to shine against Force
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Youngstown Phantoms goalie Sean Romeo stands ready to defend the goal during a recent United States Hockey League game against the Indiana Ice at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown. The Phantoms face the Fargo Force this weekend at the Covelli, but rookie Colin DeAugustine is expected to be in goal as Romeo is recovering from a leg injury suffered last Friday against Sioux Falls.
By Kevin Connelly
With country music blaring from inside the Youngstown Phantoms locker room at the Covelli Centre Wednesday evening after practice, many players showed off their best karaoke skills to Florida Georgia Line’s hit song “Get Your Shine On”.
If the Phantoms (4-9-1, 9 points) don’t shine brighter this weekend against the visiting Fargo Force, their coaches may be forced to make some unwanted changes.
They already had to make one change in the middle of last Friday’s 6-1 loss to Sioux Falls after Phantoms starting goaltender Sean Romeo re-aggravated a groin injury that forced him to miss the start of the season.
Romeo hasn’t been skating with the team in practice, so his return for tonight’s and Saturday’s games is doubtful. Colin DeAugustine likely will get the start.
“[DeAugustine]’s here for a reason,” Phantoms assistant coach Michael Zucker said. “He’s earned the opportunity to be here and he’s played well with every opportunity he’s been given. We’ve been very pleased with him.”
The Phantoms are without their head coach Anthony Noreen and leading scorer Kyle Connor, who have helped Team USA to a 2-0 record in the World Junior A Challenge in Nova Scotia.
They certainly could have used Connor’s scoring touch in last weekend’s losses to the Stampede (6-1 and 3-1).
“If you don’t put pucks on the net, you won’t score any goals, so we need to shoot more,” captain Alfred Larsson said. “I think guys want to get back to it to start winning again. I think everyone has been dedicated to having good practices throughout the week.”
The Phantoms can’t use the mid-game goalie swap as an excuse because one goal isn’t going to win most hockey games regardless of how well your goaltender plays.
“I think for starters, you saw a very different team Saturday night then Friday night,” Zucker said. “So I think our players realized the performance Friday night wasn’t quite where we want it to be and we challenged them and they responded.
“Our players are focused — they know what’s expected of them.”
The Force (3-9-0, 6 points) also have struggled to start the season. They’re ranked at the bottom of the USHL in goals scored with 14 in 12 games. The matchup seems to come at a time where the Phantoms can be comfortable with whomever is in goal for them.
“Colin’s a great kid, he’s a great young goaltender and he doesn’t really need too much help,” Romeo said. “I just try to show him the ropes and lead by example whenever I can and if he has any questions I try and help him out.”
Losers of five of their last six games, Zucker knows how important a good start is.
“It starts with one game, but with what we do it actually starts with one shift,” he said. “We try not to focus on the end results of the game so much, as focusing on one period at a time and breaking it down one shift at a time beyond that.
“But certainly a win right now would give us a little bit of momentum and get the proverbial [monkey] off our back.”