Phantoms lose to Chicago in playoff opener

CHICAGO — The offense was too little and too late for the Youngstown Phantoms, who dropped its first postseason game to the Chicago Steel, 4-1.

The Steel lead the Clark Cup Playoffs series 1-0.

Youngstown was outshot 37-26 on Good Friday and went 0-for-4 on the power play. In the first and third periods, the team shot in the single digits.

Chicago struck first in the opening period on a goal from Baker Shore.

With a little over three minutes left in the game, Chicago’s Mitch Lewandowski made it 2-0 in favor of the home side.

Reggie Lutz put the Steel up by three and held that lead until the Phantoms emptied the net for a man advantage with three minutes left in the game.

The gambit initially worked as Max Ellis broke the shutout off an assist from Jake Gingell. The Phantoms pulled goalie Ivan Kulbakov once more, but it was the Steel who scored this time. Marc Johnstone picked up the empty-net goal.

Kulbakov made 33 saves in defeat. The Phantoms return home for Game 2 on Saturday.