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Barnaby’s son traded to Phantoms

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Phantoms also acquire goalie from Omaha

By Tom Williams

williams@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Phantoms have another Pittsburgh Penguins connection.

Tuesday, the Phantoms announced that they have traded for Matthew Barnaby Jr., the son of the former NHL player.

Barnaby played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League and was with the Penguins from 1998-2001.

The Phantoms also received a 2019 Phase II 10th round draft pick from the Chicago Steel in exchange for a 2019 Phase II 2nd round draft pick and a conditional 2020 Phase I 5th round draft pick.

Barnaby Jr., from Buffalo, is in his third year of junior hockey. He played two seasons with the CCHL’s Pembroke Lumber Kings. Last season, he scored 76 points.

Barnaby is committed to play at Penn State.

Last spring, the Steel drafted Barnaby in the third round of the USHL’s Phase II Draft.

This season, Barnaby scored a goal and made five assists in 12 games with the Steel.

“Mathew Barnaby Jr. has really come on the last two years while playing in the CCHL and can be viewed as a late bloomer,” Phantoms General Manager Jason Koehler said. “We feel he has the ability to provide another offensive weapon to our group of forwards who are developing.”

Koehler said Barnaby reminds his staff of Matthew DeMelis (Northeastern commit), Matthew Barry (Holy Cross) and Tommy Parrottino (Michigan Tech).

The Phantoms also traded for Omaha Lancers goaltender Vincent Purpura for a 2019 Phase II 4th round pick.

Last season, Puroura’s record was 13-4-1-2 in 23 games with the Lancers. This season, he’s 2-4-0-1 in eight games with a 3.71 goals-Against average and .868 save percentage. Purpura is committed to Boston University for next fall.

Koehler said Purpura had a breakout season last year and has generated NHL interest.

“We are hoping that a change of scenery for him generates positive results like some of our other ex-Chicago area USHL players over the last two seasons like Joe Abate, Michael Joyaux [Western Michigan] and Nick Cardelli [Bemidji State].”

The Phantoms will play Central Illinois Flying Aces on Friday and Saturday in Bloomington, Ill. Their next home games witll be Nov. 23-24 against the Madison Capitols.