With Lemieux in the house, Phantoms win

April 2, 2016 at 12:10a.m.

By Brian Dzenis

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Phantoms played the good host to Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner and playing legend Mario Lemieux in all ways except one.

Lemieux was in town to watch his 20-year-old son, Austin, play for the Omaha Lancers on Friday night. He shared the owner’s box with former teammate and current Phantoms co-owner Troy Loney as the home team beat his son’s team, 5-2.

Through Phantoms officials, the elder Lemieux declined an interview request. Austin Lemieux wasn’t available to comment because his coach, Brian Kaufman, did not want his players speaking after the loss.

Phantoms coach John Wroblewski said No. 66 had no interaction with the team as he came into town. Wroblewski, who used to coach with the Penguins’ ECHL affiliate, said he’s only met Lemieux once. He called it one of the biggest honors he’s ever received.

“He doesn’t remember me for sure, but I remember that day,” Wroblewski said. “It was pretty cool.”

Austin Lemieux just missed crossing paths with Phantoms defenseman Matt Miller, an East Palestine native. Both players played their U18 hockey in Pittsburgh, but Miller was always a level ahead until both made the USHL.

“I’ve heard nothing but good things about him,” Miller said. “I think he’s going to be a good player,”

The Phantoms got in the head of Lancers goalie Zackarias Skog early. Less than five minutes into the game, the Phantoms’ Lukas Craggs was sent off for a charging penalty after bowling over the Swedish netminder. A roughing call on Omaha’s Johan Steen kept things at even strength.

A minute after that dustup, Vas Kolias scored off a feed from Chase Pearson, who finished the game with three assists.

“Our line, me, [Yushiroh Hirano and Cameron Morrison], we’ve had chemistry in the past and we’ve reconnected here recently,” Pearson said. “We’re working hard and I think that contributed to our success tonight,”

Pearson later picked up his second assist on the night as he fed line mate Cameron Morrison to take a 2-0 lead.

Just to make sure there was equal physical and scoreboard abuse of Skog, the final minute of the first period featured Phantoms captain Matt Alvaro falling into the opposing goalie. This time, Skog took exception and smacked Alvaro a few times with his blocker. Alvaro wasn’t penalized for the collision.

“No offense to that goalie, but we’ve heard from guys that it’s easy to get in his head so we sent a couple guys to do so,” Miller said. “They took some dumb penalties and we put pucks in the back of the net.”

Forward Jason Cotton capitalized on an open shot on net to make it 3-0 in the Phantoms’ favor. That shutout stood until midway through the third period. The Lancers’ Nick Rivera broke the shutout and snapped his stick in half as he celebrated.

The Phantoms had the last word with a goal each from Craggs and Morrison. With 20 seconds left in the game, Omaha’s Josh French scored his team’s second goal.