With five games between the Youngstown Phantoms and Team USA already in the USHL record book, the two sides will collide twice more this weekend in a home-and-home Friday-Saturday series.
The action begins in southeastern Michigan, as the Purple and Orange will try to improve upon their 2-1 record against the Under-17s, who have improved greatly since the last time these teams met. On Jan. 18, Cody Strang’s natural hat trick paced Youngstown in its 7-3 victory.
The Phantoms (17-34-4, 38 points / 7th in East) have cranked up their game in the month of March, earning points in three of six games despite playing four of those on the road.
In Youngstown’s 3-2 shootout loss in Sioux City last Saturday, Jiri Sekac enjoyed his second two-point game of the month and Tom Serratore continued his recent stellar play with a regulation goal plus a shootout tally against his former team. Serratore has 10 points (3 G, 7 A) in his last 10 tilts.
After a dismal start to their USHL schedule (6-21-3), the younger version of Team USA (24-28-4 overall, 52 points / T-5th in East) has seemingly adjusted to the Tier I level, winning four of nine games since Jan. 31.
Lansing, Michigan’s Reid Boucher, a Phantoms’ Futures Draft pick from this past summer, has nailed the game winner in three of those four triumphs, including a 4-1 stunner at Tri-City Mar. 19 that sent the Storm reeling and has them in danger of missing the playoffs.
Courtesy: Youngstown Phantoms
