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Stars sting Phantoms at Covelli
Gallery
By Tom Williams
YOUNGSTOWN
No joke, March could not end soon enough for the Youngstown Phantoms.
Friday’s 4-1 loss to the Lincoln Stars at the Covelli Centre dropped the Phantoms to 4-5-1 in 2017’s third month.
More significantly, the Phantoms (31-20-5-1, 68 points) no longer control their destiny for qualifying for the USHL’s Eastern Conference playoffs. The Green Bay Gamblers’ 4-2 win over the Madison Capitols puts them in the driver’s seat of securing fourth place.
“That stings, for sure,” Phantoms head coach Brad Patterson said.
Perhaps the toughest minute of the entire month came early in the third period against the Stars (30-20-4-1, 67 points), who are trying to overtake the Des Moines Buccaneers for fourth place in the Western Conference.
Carter Long’s goal 2:46 into the period snapped a 1-1 tie. His shot from the point appeared to hit goaltender Ivan Kulbakov’s pad then deflect into the goal.
Just 31 seconds later, Chayse Primeau made it 3-1.
“I can’t fault Ivan,” Patterson said, adding that his workhorse goaltender “makes numerous Grade A saves a game.”
Kulbakov finished with 17 saves.
“That’s a real tough one, because I thought we outplayed them, especially in the second period,” Phantoms captain Tommy Apap said.
“It’s tough we you feel you’ve outworked a team,” Apap said. “They get a couple of quick goals and you can’t bounce back. It’s hard to come back from momentum like that.”
Alex Esposito’s power-play goal came with just 41 seconds remaining in the second period.
“Through the first two periods, I thought we should have had more than one on the board,” Patterson said. “That’s a credit to [Stars goaltender Josef Korenar].”
Korenar made 27 saves.
“We had plenty of [good] looks,” Patterson said. It’s tough coming out of that second period with [the score] 1-1. For how much we were around the net, it’s frustrating.”
The Phantoms had a 20-13 shots advantage through two periods.
“Their penalty kill was good,” Apap said of the Stars. “They are a really big team and so they are taking lanes away with their sticks. [Korenar] was their best penalty killer, he stopped a lot of pucks.”
Evan Wisocky and Alec Mahalak had assists on Esposito’s goal.
“Alec Mahalak made an unbelievable pass to [Esposito who was] back-door open,” Patterson said. “And then we get it to the net front and bang it in [on a backhand shot].”
The Stars’ penalty killers foiled the Phantoms on three of their four opportunities.
OFF THE ICE
Phantoms co-owners Troy and Aafke Loney presented a $5,000 check to Disabled American Veterans representatives Leo Connelly and Ken David. The money was raised at the Feb. 18 Military Appreciation Night with a raffle and jersey auction.
Between periods, the Western Reserve drumline was picked by the crowd as the winner of the Battle of the Bands against Campbell, Liberty and Boardman.