BOX SCORE

Youngstown, OH – The Youngstown Phantoms (26-14-4-3, 59pts) dropped a heartbreaker to the Dubuque Fighting Saints 6-4 Friday night at the Covelli Centre in a game between two of the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference. The first of two matchups between these teams this weekend featured a fast start by the home team, but a back and forth third period found the visitors on top at the end. Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward put his team's performance on himself after the game.

"At the end of the day, I did a bad job coaching. I made some poor decisions and cost our team the game, and that is on me." Ward said.

The Phantoms went two for two to begin the first period as they scored on their first two shots of the game. Mikey Burchill got the night started when he connected on a shorthanded breakaway over the glove of the Dubuque goalie at 7:52 to take a 1-0 lead over his former team. Grant Young got in on the party not long after when he darted out of the penalty box and sent a wrister to the top of the cage, giving Youngstown a 2-0 lead. The Fighting Saints cut the deficit in half at 14:13 when the USHL's leading scorer Jake Sondreal snapped a wrister through the five-hole of Aiden Wright. The Phantoms went into the intermission with a 2-1 lead.

Luke Osburn got the home team's two goal lead back quickly in the second period after he cashed in a wrister from the right-wing circle at 1:52. Noah Powell took advantage of a power play and narrowed the Phantom lead at 6:11. The Fighting Saints converted again on the power play as Gavin Cornforth located a Powell rebound and found the net wide-open for an easy score at 18:10 that tied the contest going into the second intermission.

The Fighting Saints found their stride in the final period. Nick Romeo opened the scoring at 7:51, redirecting a Seamus Powell shot behind Wright. Romeo's goal gave Dubuque their first lead of the game; however, that lead did not last long. Charlie Cerrato attempted to feed a pass to Conner de Haro in front, but the pass clipped the skate of a Dubuque defensemen and trickled past Kevin Reidler to tie the game at 12:36. Only 20 seconds later, Luke Malboeuf stepped into one and fired it past Wright to regain the lead for the Saints. Wright was pulled at 18:04 in favor of an extra attacker which led to Michael Barron icing the game at 18:49 when he sent a shot the length of the ice that found the net, putting the game on ice for Dubuque.

Wright saved 35 of 40 shots on the night but was out dueled by Reidler who stopped 20 of 24 and walked away with the victory.

The Phantoms host the Fighting Saints again tomorrow night at The Covelli Centre for First Responders Night with a chance to avenge tonight's loss. Puck drop is slated for 7:05.

By the Numbers
Shots – 24
Saves – 35
Power Play – 0/2
Penalty Kill – 3/5
Goals – Burchill, Cerrato, Osburn, Young
Assists – Jencko, Machu, Osburn, Pietila, Ranallo (2)