The Team | FARGO STREAKS BY PHANTOMS FOR 7TH STRAIGHT | ||||
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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Chase Grant’s second-period shorthanded goal gave the visiting Fargo Force a lead they would not relinquish as they earned their seventh win in a row, 4-2 over the Youngstown Phantoms Friday night at the Covelli Centre. Grant added an assist later in the middle frame for a two-point night, and Garrett Allen, Corey Leivermann and Nate Condon netted goals for Fargo (21-9-1, 43 points). The Force, who represented the West Division in last spring’s Clark Cup Final, are 8-0-1 since Dec. 11 and have won 17 of their last 22 to climb within four points of West-leading Omaha.
The Phantoms (13-15-2, 28 points), despite goals from Tom Serratore and Brett Gensler, dropped their fourth-consecutive game, a season high, and still trail fourth-place Chicago by two points in the East Division. They will try to grab their third win against Fargo Saturday night; Youngstown swept the Force in a two-game series in Fargo, N.D., to conclude October.
Serratore hopped on the rebound of Adam Berkle’s right-wing wrister to put the Phantoms on top just 4:28 into the game. Serratore’s 10th of the season and fifth in his last seven games put Youngstown in a favorable position – the Phantoms had a 7-2-1 record when scoring first.
Fargo drew even before the period ended, however. Allen had a Nick Oliver shot deflect off his body and in behind Phantoms goalie Jordan Tibbett, who made 27 saves in his sixth start in seven games.
Grant’s go-ahead marker came when the Fargo captain capitalized on a Phantoms’ turnover in their own zone while they tried to rev up their third power play of the night. Grant broke in alone on Tibbett and dumped a backhander through his legs at 5:23 of the second to make it 2-1.
It quickly became 3-1 when Leivermann deposited the rebound of Colten St. Clair’s left-circle shot at 8:33, immediately following St. Clair’s faceoff win. Fargo came within 1:33 of carrying that two-goal margin into the third, but Gensler’s stuff from inside the crease, his 11th, cut the lead to 3-2 late in the middle stanza.
Condon’s team-leading 16th put the home side right back in the same hole, as he was set up inside the left circle by Chad Demers’ blind centering pass 2:21 into the third. Fargo outshot the Phantoms 7-4 in the final frame and 31-27 overall as Force netminder Ryan Massa improved his record to 9-1-0.
Go to http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid=1048993 for full box score.
Join the Phantoms Saturday in honoring our local police officers and firefighters on Local Super Heroes Night. Come early for a “Guns & Hoses” game pitting Youngstown’s Finest vs. Youngstown’s Bravest at 5 p.m., then stay for the Phantoms’ matchup with the defending West Division champion Fargo Force.
If you can’t make it to the game, follow the Phantoms all season long via Youngstown’s ESPN 1240 (www.wbbw.com) and the B2 Networks at www.b2tv.com.
The Youngstown Phantoms are a Member Club of the United States Hockey League (USHL), America’s only Tier I hockey league and premier developer of National Hockey League talent with more than 100 alumni on current NHL rosters.
Visit www.youngstownphantoms.com or call the Front Office at 330.747.PUCK(7825) for more information on the Phantoms organization. The Youngstown Phantoms are owned by the B.J. Alan Company (Phantom Fireworks), located in Youngstown, Ohio.
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