Phantoms Drop Season Opener 5-2
September 24, 2022 – United States Hockey League (USHL) – Youngstown Phantoms News Release
CRANBERRY TWP, PA – Three goals in the first 4:39 of the third period by the Waterloo Black Hawks quickly ended any hopes of a comeback for the Youngstown Phantoms (0-1-0-0, 0pts) as they dropped their season opener 5-2 Saturday afternoon at the 2022 USHL Fall Classic at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
“We mismanaged the puck quite a few times today,” said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward, who was making his regular season debut behind the bench. “I think when you’re not predictable in how you play and where the puck’s going, it gets everyone out of sync.”
Leading the game 2-1 entering the final period, the Black Hawks got goals from Myles Hillman (2:47), Griffin Erdman (3:18), and Keith McInnis (4:39) to blow the game open. Hillman scored through the five-hole on Jacob Fowler (31 saves), Erdman scored on a redirect, and McInnis was the trailer on a rush. Waterloo also opened the scoring of the game, tickling the twine just 1:53 into the season when Aaron Pionk stole a clearing pass and rifled it past Fowler. The Black Hawks doubled their lead 3:02 into the second period with a long distance powerplay goal from Gavyn Thoreson.
The Phantoms cut into the Waterloo 2-0 lead late in the 2nd when Andrew Strathmann scored during a net-front scramble, his first as a Phantom after scoring five with Tri-City last season. Matt Perkins also got his first point in the USHL on the play. The final Youngstown goal came just before the halfway point of the third period when Will Whitelaw snapped a wrister off the tip of Emmett Croteau’s glove (25 saves) and into the net. Whitelaw’s goal came on the back half of an extended power play as the Youngstown special teams went 1-for-7 on the day with the man advantage, squandering two 5-on-3 opportunities that were both at least 30 seconds in length.
The Phantoms wrap up their play at the 2022 USHL Fall Classic with a 12pm puck drop against the Des Moines Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon. Youngstown will enjoy over two weeks off from game action after the Fall Classic and won’t play again until their home opener October 13 against the Madison Capitols.
By the Numbers
Shots – 27
Saves – 31
Power Play – 1/7
Penalty Kill – 3/4
Goals – Strathmann, Whitelaw
Assists – Perkins, Rozzi, Strathmann, Whitelaw
Box Score – https://ushl.com/ht/#/game-summary/10266
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