PHANTOMS DROP TEAM USA 2-1 TO WRAP UP PERFECT HOMESTAND PHANTOMS WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT OVERALL, SEVENTH STRAIGHT AT HOME; BENÁK EXTENDS SCORING STREAK

YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Justin Kerr’s power play goal with 3:57 left in regulation proved the difference maker as the Youngstown Phantoms (10-7-0-0, 20pts) downed Team USA 2-1 Sunday night at the Covelli Centre. The victory gave Youngstown five straight wins overall and seven straight at home.

“It was kind of just a lucky bounce,” said Kerr. “Benny (Adam Benák) had a good shot on net and the rebound came out. I got a piece of it and it just trickled in. Pretty lucky, but we’ll take it.”

The Kerr goal came just 21 seconds into the power play, but was not as fast as Jack Hextall’s power play goal at 7:54 of the first period. Youngstown only needed 7 seconds of power play time for Benák to slide a cross-ice pass from the right half wall to Hextall below the left dot. Hextall quickly one-timed the puck behind Harrison Boettiger (30 saves) for a 1-0 Youngstown lead.

A bad bounce late in the period tied the game. USA forward Will Belle took a long distance shot shorthanded that struck Phantoms defenseman Conner de Haro in the side of the helmet. No one from Youngstown could find the puck, allowing Drew Schock IV to skate into it and fire a slapshot from the right circle past Melvin Strahl (20 saves) for a shorthanded goal with 8.6 seconds left in the first, tying the game at 1. The score remained there until the go-ahead goal for Kerr late in the third.

“This team’s starting to figure it out,” said Phantoms head coach Ryan Ward. “Eerily similar trajectory. I’m excited. Love the group. Really proud of them for how hard they worked all weekend.”

Seven straight-wins at home equals the third-longest stretch of winning at the Covelli Centre for Youngstown, done twice before, most recently from April 21-October 28, 2023. The Phantoms won 10 straight at the Covelli Centre from February 13-April 15, 2015 for the longest home winning streak in club history.

Youngstown will take to the road for the next three games, starting with a two-game set in Omaha next weekend before a Thanksgiving Eve contest against the U17s in Michigan. The Phantoms return home November 30 to take on Des Moines in the last contest at the Covelli Centre before the Christmas break.

Shots – 32

Saves – 20

Power Play – 2/5

Penalty Kill – 2/2

Goals – Hextall, Kerr

Assists – Benák (2), Osburn (2)

Box Score - https://ushl.com/ht/#/game-summary/11988

PHOTO CREDIT SCOTT GALVIN/SCOTT GALVIN PHOTOGRAPHY