BOX SCORE

YOUNGSTOWN, OH – After putting up just a single tally in each of their last two games, the Youngstown Phantoms (16-11-3-1, 36 points) exploded for seven goals on just 26 shots as they thumped the Muskegon Lumberjacks 7-3 Thursday night at the Covelli Centre.


"Overall happy," said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward of the performance. "Going through our lineup I can't really think of anyone that I'm displeased with. It was a good sixty-minute effort on home ice to start a big weekend."

Youngstown came out storming, beating Raythan Robbins (11 saves) three times in the first period on just nine shots. Captain Shane Lachance kicked off the scoring at 6:09, redirecting an Andrew Strathmann wrist shot for his 19^th goal of the season. Next it would be Strathmann to light the lamp, his second goal of the season, as his wrist shot from the point found twine on the power play thanks to a wonderful screen by Justin Varner at 12:17. The Phantoms power play struck again at 15:58 as William Whitelaw's one-time blast from the left circle found its way through Robbins and across the goal line. It was Whitelaw's 13^th goal of the season, but his first in his last seven games. "Even if (William) is not on the scoresheet, he's been trending in the right direction for about six or seven weeks now," said Ward. "He's been a force on the ice, doing all the little details that maybe he didn't pick up from midget hockey. For us, him here playing a complete game, he saw the fruits of his labor pan out tonight."

Muskegon got one back on a net-front scramble 2:21 into the second period to cut the Youngstown lead to 3-1. William Hughes was awarded the goal after it appeared that Jacob Fowler (18 saves) had the puck under his blocker hand outside of the blue paint when Hughes came barreling into the scrum, knocking the puck across the goal line. The play was originally ruled as "no goal", but after a discussion between the officials, the goal was awarded to Muskegon.

Youngstown answered back with the next two markers, one coming exactly a minute after the Hughes goal. On the power play again, Brandon Svoboda tipped Andon Cerbone's shot through Robbins' five hole, giving Youngstown back its three-goal cushion. The Phantoms extended their lead to four for the first time on the night at 11:02 when Nick Williams picked up a Cerbone faceoff win, skated down the left wing wall, carried the puck around the net to the right circle, turned, and fired a shot upstairs that beat Robbins, who was down early on the play. It was Williams' second goal of the year and sent Robbins to the bench in favor of Connor Callaghan (8 saves). Robbins surrendered five goals on 16 shots. The 'Jacks cut the margin back to three before the end of the period when Sacha Boisvert snapped a wrister past Fowler from an extreme angle at 15:47 for a power play goal.

The Phantoms stretched their lead back to four on the power play at 10:30 of the third with Lachance's second goal of the night. A perfect pass from Cerbone hit off Matthew Perkins then redirected off Lachance into an open cage behind Callaghan. The pass gave Cerbone four assists on the night, marking the first four-point night of his USHL career and the first four-assist game for a Phantom since Matt Berry on January 27, 2018 against Dubuque. The goal was Lachance's 20^th of the season, making him the second player in the USHL to reach that plateau this season (Jack Harvey, Chicago). The Youngstown power play was 4/5 on the night while Muskegon's was just 1/7. Michael Callow answered back for Muskegon just over two minutes later when he ripped a wrister from the right circle past Fowler to the blocker side at 12:46, but it would be Whitelaw that capped off the scoring, firing the puck over 180 feet into the empty net at 19:42 to cap off the scoring. On the empty net goal, Pavol Funtek was awarded an assist, his first USHL point in his first USHL game. Also awarded an assist was Fowler, which set the Phantoms' record for career assists by a goalie with 3.

Youngstown continues their three-in-three home weekend series with a pair of games against the Madison Capitols Friday and Saturday night at the Covelli Centre. Puck drop both nights is scheduled for 7:05pm.

By the Numbers
Shots – 26
Saves – 18
Power Play – 4/5
Penalty Kill – 6/7
Goals – Lachance (2), Strathmann, Svoboda, Whitelaw (2), Williams
Assists – Centrella (2), Cerbone (4), Fowler, Funtek, Pietila, Strathmann, Svoboda