The Omaha Lancers only make one trip to Youngstown each season.  The Youngstown hockey fans were treated to a great game that featured a couple of Gold Medalists who recently represented the United States.  Scott Mayfield (left) of the Phantoms and Seth Ambroz (right) of the Lancers were honored before the game started as teammates on the US Championship Team.  Ambroz shined a bit brighter on this night chalking up a pair of assists as Omaha broke open a close game in the third period to win 5-2.

The Phantoms did have chances early and got on the scoreboard first when Ty Loney connected from close range to beat Lancers net minder John Keeney.  It was the fifth goal for Loney in only his ninth game this season.  Picking up assists on the goal were Cody Strang and Jiri Sekac.

Omaha wasted little time responding and tying the game.  Nick Oddo knocked in his fourth goal of the season.  The even-strength tally was assisted by Justin Crandall and Ambroz.  Keep the name Ambroz in your memory, he is NHL-bound and really has a nose for the puck.

Before the first period ended, the Phantoms scored a goal to claim a 2-1 lead.  Sekac took the puck top shelf (below, note the water bottle on the net going vertical from the puck) over Keeney’s right shoulder for his fifth.  The even-strength goal yielded assists to Loney and Strang.

The Lancers scored the lone goal of the second period to tie the contest at two goals apiece.  Colin Markison connected unassisted on a power-play goal.  The Phantoms had 22 shots after two periods compared to the Lancers 20.

With 3:36 gone in the third period, the Lancers again scored with a man advantage. The Phantoms  Jordan Young was whistled for hooking.  About ten seconds into the Lancers power-play, Oddo connected and Ambroz gained another assist.  The 3-2 advantage was the first of the night for Omaha.

Stefan Demopoulos picked the pocket of a Phantom inside the Phantom zone and beat Matt O’Connor on a shorthanded chance. The goal was the fourth of the year for Demopoulos, and even when the Phantoms seemed to have momentum, a Lancer deflated the hopes of a game-tying goal.  The Phantoms managed only one shot through the first 14 minutes and only one more the rest of the third period.

Crandall put an exclamation point on things for the Lancers as he floated one past O’Connor to give the team from Omaha an insurmountable three-goal lead at 5-2, which is where this one would end.

After the game, Coach Curt Carr voiced his displeasure with his team only getting two shots on goal in the final period.  “We didn’t come out in the third period, we just didn’t show up. I’m not sure why, I think our guys maybe took for granted that we could ease through.  We need to keep working hard and realize that we are a very young team.”

Scott Mayfield reflected on the loss.  “We are in a slump.  Our first line is rolling, but we need to get the puck on net more, being outshot 14-2 in the final period shows that we are not playing to the level that we should be.  They capitalized, they had a five on three and scored, that is what we need to start doing when we have those chances.”

The Phantoms fell to 5-9-1 with the loss.  Omaha improved to 7-4-2.  The Phantoms host the Dubuque Fighting Saints, a team rejoining the USHL after a nine-year absence Saturday night at the Covelli Centre.  Catch some live hockey, the guys could use a boost in the form of audience noise!