Lumberjacks overwhelm Phantoms

Staff report

Muskegon, Mich.

Muskegon captain Mason Jobst scored two goals to lead the Lumberjacks to a 5-1 win over the Youngstown Phantoms on Friday at the L.C. Walker Arena,

Coming off a strong performance last Saturday against the Omaha Lancers, backup goaltender Colin DeAugustine, who had won three consecutive starts, was in goal for the Phantoms.

“We just felt like [DeAugustine] deserved it,” Phantoms head coach Anthony Noreen said of sitting Sean Romeo. “We told [them] before the weekend that Colin would go tonight and Sean would go tomorrow.

“Obviously, if Colin had come out tonight and posted a shutout, or had a big-time game, I think these guys know, given the way it’s going right now, that we’re going to give it to the guy if they deserve another one.”

Adam Larkin and Matt Iacopelli, the USHL’s top goal scorer, netted goals in the first period. Jobst scored his first goal in the second period for a 3-0 lead.

Noreen attributed the Phantoms’ lack of a comeback push to his team simply not finishing chances.

“We very easily could have made that a 2-1, 3-1 game at a few points,” Noreen said. “Maybe the shots didn’t indicate it, but if you look at the chances that we had, we had multiple two-on-ones, and we had chances right down at the goalmouth.

“Their goalie [Eric Schierhorn] did a good job; they did a good job of blocking shots.”

Conor Lemirande scored the Phantoms’ goal.

The Phantoms and Lumberjacks will play again here tonight.

Despite the defeat, the Phantoms’ record is 5-3-1 over their last eight games. Noreen said that this was the only bad game his team has played since Feb. 14.

“For whatever reason, tonight was not our night,” Noreen said. “They won the areas you need to win to win a hockey game. They won the netfront, and that was the difference.” “We need to take advantage of our chances when we get them.”