Saturday, March 23, 2019
Phantoms win 7th straight game
Staff report
MUSKEGON, MICH.
Brett Murray’s 37th goal of the season tied a record and helped the Youngstown Phantoms capture their seventh straight victory.
Trevor Kuntar and Dalton Messina each scored twice on Friday as the Phantoms defeated the first-place Muskegon Lumberjacks, 5-1.
Goaltender Chad Veltri stopped 38 shots at L.C. Walker Arena.
Murray’s goal ties Sam Anas’ franchise record for most in a season. Murray has eight games remaining to break it.
Kuntar’s first goal came on the power play about five minutes into the USHL game. Gianfranco Cassaro and Matt DeMelis assisted.
Messina scored an unassisted shorthanded goal a little more than five minutes later.
Forty-five seconds into the second period, Kuntar scored an unassisted goal for a 3-0 lead.
The Lumberjacks lifted goaltender Brandon Bussi who allowed three goals on 11 shots. Ryan McInchak replaced Bussi, stopping 14 of 16 shots.
Murray’s power-play goal came nine minutes later, with Cassaro and Ben Schoen assisting.
Messina scored another unassisted goal a minute later.
The win keeps the Phantoms (31-18-1-4, 67 points) in third place, one point behind the Chicago Steel, who defeated the Green Bay Gamblers, 6-3.
The Phantoms’ next four games are against Team USA (Wednesday and March 29-31).