Team USA next for Phantoms

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

By earning five points in their past three games, the Youngstown Phantoms are poised to build some separation from the fifth-place Chicago Steel in the USHL’s Eastern Conference.

Standing in the way is Team USA’s 18-under team which will be at the Covelli Centre for two games this weekend. Team USA (6-10-0, 12 points) won both games against the Phantoms earlier this season.

Last weekend, the fourth-place Phantoms (11-6-3, 25 points) split a series in Muskegon, Mich., against the second-place Lumberjacks (14-6-1, 29 points). After a 5-0 victory, the Phantoms lost, 3-2, in a shootout, earning one point for forcing overtime.

Wednesday at the Covelli Centre against the Steel (9-9-2, 20 points), the Phantoms won, 3-2.

The top four teams in each conference qualify for the postseason so breaking away from the pack before the calendar changes to 2015 would be a big boost to the Phantoms’ playoff hopes.

Center Kyle Connor (nine goals, 15 assists, 24 points) is tied with Waterloo’s Brock Boeser for third in the league scoring race. They are seven points behind Chicago’s Mason Bergh.

Another Phantoms forward, Max Letunov, is tied for for fifth place with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists).

Goaltender Chris Birdsall (5-1-3) is ranked eighth in the league with a 2.58 goals-against average.

Next weekend, the Phantoms will travel to Nebraska for two games against the Tri-City Storm (9-7-3, 21 points).