Phantoms hosting camp at Ice Zone

June 13, 2014 at 12:06a.m.

BOARDMAN

Eleven members of last season’s Youngstown Phantoms team plus an experienced USHL goalie will take part in this weekend’s tryout camp at The Ice Zone.

The camp will feature all-star games on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. All events are free of charge and open to the public.

Anthony Noreen, who is getting ready for his fourth season as Phantoms head coach, said seven forwards (Kyle Connor, Trey Bradley, Keifer Sherwood, Zach Evancho, Max Letunov, Josh Nenadal, Josh Melnick), three defensemen (Alex Carle, Tommy Parran, Matt Miller) and a goalie (Colin DeAugustine) are back in town.

New to the team is goaltender Chris Birdsall, who is 17, but has two seasons of USHL experience. Last month, the Phantoms traded a fifth-round draft pick to the Cedar Rapids Roughriders for Birdsall, who has committed to Boston College.

With the RoughRiders, Birdsall went 17-22 record with a goals-against average of 3.50 and a save percentage of .877.

“Like Kyle, he came into the league at a very young age,” Noreen said. “We hear he’s the type of [personality] you can rally around. We’re excited to have him and Colin.”

Last season, DeAugustine went 8-12-4-1 in his first full season with the Phantoms.

Today and Saturday, teams of junior players, USHL draft picks and free agents will compete for a chance to play in the final two games of camp.

Game times today are 10 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:30, 4:45, 7 and 9:15. Saturday game times are 9 and 11:15 a.m., and 1:30 p.m.

The best players from those contests will be put on two teams that include the returning Phantoms. Those squads will play on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. The roster will be determined Sunday afternoon.

Although the Phantoms appear set in goal, the team conducted a goalie tryout camp on Wednesday and Thursday.

Noreen said 48 free agents attended and 12 were selected to participate in this weekend’s contests.

“It’s almost like a goalie school,” Noreen said.

Goaltending coach Shane Clifford and former college and USHL players offered guidance during the camp.

“We’ve had some pretty good success with that camp,” said Noreen, explaining that the team’s previous two workhorses (Sean Romeo and Matt O’Conner) were discovered at a goalie tryout.

Noreen said Letunov, a native of Moscow, remained in Youngstown following the Phantoms’ season and recently finished his year at Ursuline High School.

Letunov recently attended the Chicago Blackhawks’ pre-draft camp. The NHL Draft will be conducted in Philadelphia beginning June 27.