Phantoms moving on

Youngstown sweeps Dubuque; Eastern Final next

Staff report

DUBUQUE, IOWA

For the second time in franchise history, the Youngstown Phantoms have qualified for the USHL’s Eastern Conference Final in the Clark Cup Playoffs.

Phantoms goaltender Ivan Prosvetov stopped all 36 shots the Dubuque Fighting Saints fired at him in leading Youngstown to a 3-0 victory in Game 3 of their best-of-five playoff series Tuesday at the Mystique Ice Center.

The win gives the Phantoms a 3-0 sweep.

The Phantoms, the second seed in the East, will be off through the weekend. Their next opponent will not be determined before Friday and maybe not until Sunday.

In the other semifinal series, top-seeded Team USA and the sixth-seeded Chicago Steel are tied 1-1. Team USA won the first game, 3-0. The Steel rebounded for a 6-2 victory.

Games 3 and 4 will be played on Thursday and Friday at the Steel’s Fox Valley Ice Arena. If necessary, Game 5 will be played Sunday in Plymouth, Mich.

Tommy Parrottino, Joey Abate and Chase Gresock scored the Phantoms’ goals.

Parrottino’s came late in the first period on the power play, with Matthew Barry and Michael Joyaux getting the assists.

Abate stung the fifth-seeded Saints with a goal just 65 seconds into the second period. Nicholas Cardelli and Liam Dennison had assists.

Barry also assisted on Gresock’s power-play goal midway through the second period. Mike Regush also assisted.

Cole Weaver made 19 saves for the Saints.

The Phantoms killed off all four of the Saints’ power plays.

In 2013, the Phantoms played the Fighting Saints in the Eastern Conference Final, losing Game 5 in Mystique Ice Center. The Saints, coached by Jim Montgomery (now Denver University’s coach), went on to win the Clark Cup.