Phantoms will play three games in three cities this weekend

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Phantoms will play three games in three cities this weekend, beginning with today’s rare morning faceoff against Team USA’s U17 squad at the Covelli Centre.

The Phantoms-Nationals game will begin at 10:15 a.m., with approximately 3,500 students from the Mahoning Valley expected to attend.

After the game, the Phantoms will board their bus to ride to Indianapolis where they will play the Indiana Ice on Saturday evening. After that game, they’ll ride to Ann Arbor, Mich., for Sunday’s game against Team USA’s U18 squad.

Phantoms head coach Anthony Noreen said the busy schedule is nothing new as the regular season winds down.

“We’re used to it,” Noreen said. “It’s part of hockey, these guys have been doing it while growing up. A lot of them, even a year ago, were playing two games in one day. That’s what we are conditioned for.”

Team USA’s U17 roster has players who are among the youngest in the USHL. Noreen said his players will not overlook their talent.

“I don’t think so, especially at this point in the season,” Noreen said. “I think there may be times when a team might take them a little light, early on, when they’re first getting together.

“Once you play them for a game, or even a couple of minutes, you realize how talented they are and how ‘on your toes’ you need to be.”

On Jan. 11, the Phantoms defeated the U17 squad, 6-3. At previous meetings, the U17s got the best of Youngstown.

“When you give them chances, they put the puck in the net,” Noreen said. “They’re on that team for a reason, and they’ll make you pay if you make mistakes.

“We learned that lesson early when we played them at the beginning of the season,” Noreen said. “They’ve been good every time we’ve played them since.”

The Ice, the Eastern Conference’s first-place team, have clinched a playoff spot, but are competing with the Waterloo Blackhawks for the top seed.

“Our worry right now is making sure that the guys in our room are getting better and we’re improving as a team,” Noreen said. “We want to give ourselves the best chance to win. What better way to do it than when you take on the top team in the conference?”

Two affiliate players will be joining the Phantoms roster this weekend. Defenseman Connor Moore, a Boston College commit, is a native of Cumming, Ga., who plays at Brooks Prep School in Massachusetts. Forward Carson Gicewicz is from Orchard Park, N.Y., where he plays at Nichols Prep School. He is committed to St. Lawrence University.

Most likely, Zach Evancho will not be in the Phantoms’ lineup as he’s recovering from an injury suffered two weeks in Omaha, Neb.