The Youngstown Phantoms (14-22-4,32pts) had a two goal lead in the second period but were unable to hold on as the Indiana Ice (24-12-3,51pts) stole a 5-3 victory on Wednesday morning.   The Ice have only lost four times since November 26.  Goals by Scott Mayfield, Mike Ambrosia and Stephen Collins were not enough against the Ice.

The Phantoms, for the third game in a row, scored the first goal. While on a power play, Mayfield rushed the puck down the near side boards and as he made his way behind the net he banked a shot off the back of Indiana netminder Jon Gillies for his third goal of the year. With less than six minutes to play in the opening period, the Ice were able to tie the game at one on a goal by Blake Coleman, the USHL’s leading scorer.   The Phantoms were outshot in the first period 15-6, despite the difference the first period was  evenly played.

The Phantoms wasted no time in the second period as Collins found the back of the net just 1:43 into the middle frame.   Collins gathered the puck in the near corner and walked out in front of the net where he beat Gillies on a wrist shot that was placed in between the blocker and his right leg pad. The goal was Collins’ third as a Phantom.  The Phantoms then extended their lead to two when Mike Ambrosia found the back of the net as he capitalized on a rebound that was put on net by new Phantom Danny Mattson.   The goal was Ambrosia’s seventh of the season and Mattson’s first point as a Phantom.   Later,  in the second period, the Phantoms drifted away from their game plan and Indiana was able to take advantage with two late goals to end the period.  At 4:31, Brian Ferlin scored to bring the Ice within one goal. Just over two minutes later it seemed as if Jordan Tibbett had covered the puck, but after a scrum in front of the Phantoms net Peter Schneider was able to flip the puck over Tibbett to tie the game.

“After we went up by two goals we got away from our game plan,” said Carr.   “We have done this a few times this season, we get up by a few goals and decide to play like a finesse team and not stick to our system. We are not a finesse team and we need to understand that to win we need to play within in ourselves and within our system.”

The Phantoms came out in the third period looking to regain their form from earlier in the game but just :36 into the final frame, Schneider was able to beat Tibbett to go up 4-3.   The Ice improved their lead to two goals when Coleman scored his second of the game on an Ice power play with 9:10 remaining in the contest. The Phantoms tried to pressure the Ice late but the with the four unanswered goals against and a shot disadvantage of 42-25, the hill was too high for the Phantoms to climb.