Phantoms extend lead on Gamblers

For 52 minutes, Friday’s Green Bay Gamblers-Youngstown Phantoms game at the Covelli Centre had everything you’d expect from two teams contending for a playoff berth.

Then the gloves came off — 20 of them. The five skaters from each squad paired off, two fights broke out and five players were sent to the locker room.

After the misconducts were sorted out, the Phantoms (29-16-4-1, 63 points) hung on for a 3-1 victory that gives them a seven-point lead over the Gamblers (26-21-2-2, 56).

Best of all, they will go at it again tonight in the final contest of the Phantoms’ seven-game homestand.