Adam Berkle netted a pair of even-strength goals, but the Green Bay Gamblers’ special teams were exactly that as the USHL's best team trumped the Youngtown Phantoms 5-3 Sunday afternoon at the Resch Center.
The Phantoms (16-31-2, 34 points) outscored Green Bay 3-1 during five-on-five play, but the East Division-leading Gamblers (36-8-4, 76 points) registered three power-play goals and another while shorthanded. Youngstown, which topped Waterloo 6-4 Saturday night, went 1-2-0 on its three-game weekend swing through the upper Midwest.
Robert Francis and defenseman Nick Jensen led the way for the home side with a goal and an assist each; goalie Ryan McKay stopped 19 of 22 shots to beat the Phantoms for the third time this season. Stuart Higgins potted an early goal to put the visitors up after 20 mintues, but the Gamblers answered back with five of the next six scores against Matt Mahalak, who made 26 saves in his third start in four games.
The Phantoms played the definition of a solid road period in the first, keeping the Gamblers to the outside and waiting for their chances offensively. They were rewarded for their patience at 12:58, when Higgins tapped in a loose puck at the left post for a 1-0 lead. Defenseman Andrej Sustr tossed a wrister through traffic that was tipped by Tom Serratore to the side of the net for a waiting Higgins, who picked up his fifth.
Francis backhanded his own rebound past Mahalak with Green Bay on its first man-advantage of the game, tying the score with 1:10 elapsed in the second period. The Gamblers also cashed in their second power-play chance, with Anders Lee wiring a one-timer from the left circle inside the right post off an assist from Jensen at 10:22.
Jensen extended the lead with a shorthanded tally two minutes later, completing a two-on-one rush with Chris Crane, sticking a shot under the crossbar to make it 3-1.
A burst from Berkle turned the momentum back in Youngstown’s favor, taking a lead pass from Jefferson Dahl, splitting the Green Bay defense and tossing a quick forehand past a sliding McKay to cut the lead to 4-2 at 15:57. The Gamblers and Reed Seckel answered back with 1:15 left in the frame, picking up his 20th when his wrister deflected off a Phantoms stick and into the goal to cap a transition rush.
Ludwig Karlsson stashed a power-play goal with 2:02 gone in the third, raising the lead to 5-2, but Berkle had another response in his back pocket. Six minutes later, Nick Czinder controlled the puck behind the Gamblers’ net and swung a backhand pass in front, where Berkle gathered and flipped a backhand of his own under McKay.
Youngstown stays on the road next weekend for a pair in Kearney, Neb., against the Tri-City Storm Friday and Saturday.
Courtesy: Youngstown Phantoms
