BOX SCORE

YOUNGSTOWN, OH – The Youngstown Phantoms may have gotten two-point nights out of top-scorers William Whitelaw and Andon Cerbone. They may have seen Jacob Fowler stop 24 of 25 shots, but it was rookie defenseman Jack Willson who netted the game-winning goal 9:01 into the third period, breaking a 1-1 tie and helping to lift the Phantoms to a 3-1 victory over the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Sunday night at the Covelli Centre. Youngstown won the best-of-three series over Cedar Rapids two-games-to-none to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

"After the second period, we talked about our weak side (defenseman) needing to be way more active," said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward. "(Jack) has really never been apprehensive about getting the seatbelt off. Jack has been great. He's showing what his future's going to look like in Youngstown and beyond. That was a huge goal. Will Whitelaw made an unbelievable play, probably the most high-end play I've seen all year (to set up the goal). For me it was a well-deserved moment for Jack Willson and a great play set up by Will."

Picking up the puck in his own zone, Whitelaw took off up the right-wing boards. Challenged at the Cedar Rapids blue line, Whitelaw had to dance around Eric Pohlkamp, which created a 2-on-1 from the blue line-in. With the defense collapsing on Whitelaw, he slid a pass over to Willson, who buried a one-timer from the hashmarks to put Youngstown ahead 2-1.

Whitelaw was also responsible for the game's opening marker, cashing in at 9:37 of the second period. An offensive zone faceoff win by Andon Cerbone set Whitelaw up perfectly for a one-timer, and he let go a half-slapper that had enough steam on it to squeeze through the six-hole of Bruno Bruveris (27 saves) and across the goal line for a 1-0 Youngstown lead.

Cedar Rapids tied the game later in the second at 15:04. With Fowler having fallen out of the blue paint, Jack Musa threw a shot from below the goal line back into the crease which ricocheted off a Phantoms defenseman and into the cage. It was Musa's third goal in four career playoff games against Youngstown (the other two goals coming last season with Madison), but that was all the offense
Cedar Rapids could muster on this night. Cerbone scored on the empty net with 1:20 remaining in regulation to cap off the night for the Phantoms.

Returning to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 2018, the Phantoms will face the Chicago Steel in a best-of-five series that starts Friday May 5. The Phantoms have only faced the Steel in the playoffs once previously, the opening round of the 2017 playoffs, which the Steel won in five games. Youngstown is 1-1 in the Eastern Conference Final, losing in 2013 to Dubuque and beating Team USA in 2018.  Games 1 & 2 will be played in Chicago with Youngstown hosting Games 3 & 4 (if necessary) on May 8 & 9. Game 5 (if necessary) will be on Thursday May 11.

By the Numbers
Shots – 30
Saves – 24
Power Play – 0/3
Penalty Kill – 0/4
Goals – Cerbone, Whitelaw, Willson
Assists – Cerbone, Isogai, Misiak, Strathmann, Whitelaw