Phantoms' Pooley scores OT goal against former team

YOUNGSTOWN

Phantoms defenseman Dominic Dockery said it was more than fitting that assistant captain Austin Pooley scored Friday’s overtime goal to defeat his former team, the Fargo Force.

“He’s obviously had this game circled on his calendar for a while,” Dockery said. “It was great for him and I know it means a lot to the boys.”

Last season, Pooley was one of the Force’s assistant captains, then was traded to Youngstown in the offseason. It was a great move, considering his family lives in Columbus and now regularly attends Covelli Centre games.

By the time training camp closed last summer, Pooley was named one of the Phantoms’ assistant captains.

With 2:24 remaining in overtime and both teams skating just three, Coale Norris found Pooley alone in the faceoff circle to Force goaltender Ryan Bischel’s left. Pooley took the pass, sized up his target and fired the puck over Bischel’s shoulder to end the game.