Gloves fly as Phantoms extend lead on Gamblers

March 11, 2017 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

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 one 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 eventually 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.

“This is probably the biggest week,” said Phantoms forward Evan Wisocky who scored the game-winning goal. “Hopefully, we’ll get two more points [tonight].”

Immediately after the game, no one was exactly sure what happened when the brouhaha began. Phantoms forward Eric Esposito suggested it started when he took a questionable hit.

“[My] linemates got in there to protect me,” Esposito said. “In the moment, all that matters is protecting the guy next to you.”

Esposito and Tommy Apap were assessed fighting majors as were Gamblers Rourke Russell and Brody Stevens.

Esposito and Russell were given game misconducts for fighting secondary penalties. Apap and Stevens also were assessed 10-minute misconducts.

Phantoms forward Alex Esposito was given a roughing penalty and misconduct.

Phantoms coach Brad Patterson said its possible that Eric Esposito and Russell will be suspended for tonight’s contest because of their game ejections.

“What happens, happens,” Esposito said. “That’s the game. Hopefully nobody gets suspended — that would be ideal.”

Ivan Kulbakov stopped 23 shots in earning his 25th victory.

“He’s been our backbone all year,” Esposito said.

Except for a bad break early, the Phantoms played well, killing off all four Gamblers power plays.

“We almost fell over when we got the puck, and that never happens,” Patterson said of a turnover that gave a breakaway to the Gamblers’ John Leonard. “Ivan makes the stop on the breakaway, but the rebound [went in].”

Five minutes later, Pierce Crawford tied the game on an assist by Jake Gingell.

Midway through the second period, Wisocky scored for a 2-1 lead. Wisocky trailed Coale Norris and Michale Karow on a break and Norris fed him the puck in the slot.

“Coale Norris made a great play chipping it past the defenseman,” Wisocky said. “There was a little [opening} and I found a way to put it there.”

With 3:28 remaining, Nicolas Werbik sealed the win by scoring off assists by Alex Mahalak and Wisocky.

With 10 games remaining in the regular season, time is ticking down on the Gamblers’ hopes of catching the Phantoms.

After the buzzer sounder, Gamblers defender Connor Mackey barked at Wisocky and Kulbakov, his words even crossing the translation barrier to connect with the Belarus goalie.

“It’s an emotional game, Patterson said. “That’s playoff hockey.”