Indiana defenseman Anthony Bitetto scored twice and assisted on another and goaltender Cab Morris stopped 28 of 29 shots, propelling the visiting Ice to a 5-1 defeat of the Youngstown Phantoms Wednesday afternoon at Covelli Centre.
Rich Young potted the lone goal for Youngstown (14-22-2, 30 points), which has lost a season-high three home games in a row. Getting the call in goal against the defending league champions for the fourth time on the campaign, Jordan Tibbett made 29 saves but remained winless since Dec. 29, a span of six starts.
The Hockey for Health School Day game started at 10 a.m. and drew 4,526 youngsters, the Phantoms' largest crowd of the season, but the extra vocal support couldn't stop the Ice (22-15-2, 46 points) from grabbing an early 2-0 lead and pulling away late in the second for their third win against Youngstown in four tries. The road team has won all four meetings in the season series, with a final matchup scheduled for Indianapolis Feb. 17.
Bitetto started the proceedings with a long-range tally from the left point, as he connected with a drifting shot through bodies into the top-right corner of the net in the opening minute. The goal, Bitetto's sixth, came 37 seconds after the opening faceoff, the quickest allowed by the Phantoms in their inaugural USHL season.
Max Cook raised the Indiana advantage to two at 10:29 of the first with a shifty individual play. Swiveling behind the Phantoms net, the right-handed shooter emerged at the right post and spun a quick forehand past Tibbett, fooling everybody in black jerseys who appeared to think Cook would continue on his backhand into the slot.
With the ice tilting in Indiana's favor, the Phantoms reversed that trend with a power-play goal before the opening stanza ended. Young jumped on a turnover deep in Ice territory and found Czech blueliner Andrej Sustr creeping closer at the top of the right circle. Sustr's wrister was tipped into the twine by the net-crashing Young with 1:39 remaning in the frame, the third of the season for the first-year USHL forward.
The Phantoms pressed hard for the equalizer to begin the second, but Morris, who shut out Youngstown at Covelli Dec. 10, held firm despite numerous point-blank chances and breakaways. Morris' stand gained significance when rearguards Nick Bailen (15:54) and Bitetto (19:07) added on with man-advantage goals later in the second to stake the visitors to a 4-1 lead.
Kevin Goumas finished a quick two-on-one Indiana rush from the left post at 12:19 of the third to stretch the advantage to four scores. Bryon Paulazzo, who has four points (2-2) against Youngstown this season, earned the lone assist after collecting a turnover in the neutral zone.
The Waterloo Black Hawks, six points ahead of the Phantoms for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division, invade Youngstown for a two-game weekend series, starting Friday night at 7:15 p.m.
It will be College/Military ID Night and Bargain Beer Night! Bring your college or military ID to Covelli Centre and receive a $4 ticket to the evening's game and enjoy $1 brews all night long. Also, bring five or more non-perishable food items and receive a half-priced ticket; the food drive benefits the Big Reach.
Courtesy: Youngstown Phantoms
