Phantoms’ Connor will be critical in playoffs


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The Phantoms’ Kyle Connor won the USHL’s scoring title with 80 points (34 goals, 46 assists). It’s his highest output in three USHL seasons.

By Kevin Connelly

kconnelly@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Before the start of the USHL regular season, Youngstown Phantoms head coach Anthony Noreen said he believed this year’s team would go as far as star forward Kyle Connor took them.

He was right — in a way.

The University of Michigan-bound player won the league’s scoring title with 80 points (34 goals, 46 assists). It’s his highest output in three USHL seasons.

“He’s been our best player down the stretch,” Noreen said following Saturday’s regular-season finale.

“You need your best players to be your best players when it matters and it mattered here these last couple weeks.”

The next challenge for Connor — likely to be a lottery pick in June’s NHL Draft — is to continue scoring in the postseason. That challenge begins tonight, as the top-seeded Phantoms (40-14-6, 86 points) begin their first-round series against the fourth-seeded Muskegon Lumberjacks.

If the past is any indication, the Lumberjacks (35-21-4, 74 points) are going to have their hands full slowing Connor. He lit up Muskegon in the teams’ six regular-season meetings for 11 points (six goals, five assists).

“He did a great job and what we need him now to do is be our best player in the playoffs,” Noreen said. “That’s the expectation and from what we’ve seen from him for the last three years, and what I’ve gotten to know, I expect that he would be.”

The Phantoms won the regular-season series going 4-1-1 and were victorious in all three meetings in Muskegon. Both of the Lumberjacks’ wins came at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown.

While those results might give the impression that home-ice advantage won’t matter as much in this series, the Phantoms are hoping Game 1 on the road will be their only trip of the series.

“That’s our focus right now,” Noreen said. “Let’s come out and have a great start [today] and try and grab the lead in the series.

“Game 1 is where you set the tone for the series and that’s what we gotta go up there and do.”

Lumberjacks goaltender Eric Schierhorn led the league in save percentage (.927) and forward Griffen Molino, who has committed to Western Michigan, was tied for fourth in the league with 64 points (18 goals, 46 assists).

“They’re a team that’s pretty well-built for the playoffs too, and it starts in net for them with probably the best goaltender in the league,” Noreen said. “They’re big, they’re heavy and not easy to play against. To go on the road and start there, we definitely have our hands full.”

The one misnomer to Noreen’s preseason comments about Connor is that the talented forward hasn’t had to do it alone. The Phantoms have two of the league’s top scorers, in addition to Connor. Max Letunov was tied with Muskegon’s Molino in points, scoring 25 goals and recording 39 assists. Josh Melnick also led the league in assists with 48 and scored 14 goals.

“We built this team for this time of the year,” Noreen said. “It’s playoff time and our depth, our toughness, our leadership — this is when we hope it’s gonna come out and really shine.”

NOTES

Both teams set franchise records for victories during the regular season. ... It’s their first playoff meeting. ... Youngstown outscored Muskegon 20-9 in regulation over its six meetings. ... The Lumberjacks are 0-for-18 on the power play vs. the Phantoms this season.