YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Looking every bit like a team that hadn’t played in two weeks, the Youngstown Phantoms (3-4-0-0, 6 pts) started slow and never recovered as they fell 3-0 to the Lincoln Stars Friday night at the Covelli Centre.
“I was expecting us to start a little slow,” said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward. “I thought we were actually really good in the second and third. (Lincoln) didn’t have much. We had a couple of guys out. I thought we were ok, we just have to get rolling now.”
Lincoln cracked the scoreboard at 6:28 of the first period when Matt Maltais scored on the breakaway. The game stayed scoreless throughout the rest of the first and all of the second period. Grant Young appeared to score a goal midway through the third that could have tied the game, but the net was ruled to be off its pegs. Lincoln was awarded a major power play with 5:49 left in regulation when Louie Wehmann was called for head contact. The Stars took advantage, cashing in twice, with goals coming from Layne Loomer and Alex Pelletier to cap off the scoring.
Melvin Strahl got the start in net for Youngstown, stopping 24/27. Yan Shostak shut the Phantoms down, stopping all 13 shots that he saw, earning his first shutout of the season.
The Phantoms and Stars will wrap up their season set Saturday night at the Covelli Centre, with puck drop scheduled for 6:05pm.
By The Numbers
Shots – 13
Saves – 24
Power Play – 0/1
Penalty Kill – 2/4
Goals – None
Assists – None