PHANTOMS CLIP BLACK HAWKS 6-3 KOLTSOV POTS TWO, LEPAK STOPS 30

YOUNGSTOWN, OH – The Youngstown Phantoms (6-9-1-0, 13pts) got two goals from Nikita Koltsov, multi-point nights from Jesse Orlowsky and Austin Hall, and 30 saves from Owen Lepak to help lead the way to a 6-3 victory over the Waterloo Black Hawks Friday night at the Covelli Centre.

“We found a win,” said Phantoms Head Coach Nathan Paetsch. “That’s good, but it’s not a recipe for success long term. You have to play 60 minutes the right way.”

Youngstown came out with an aggressive forecheck to start the game, which helped lead them to a goal just 5:14 in. Charlie Spencer pressured the Waterloo defense into a turnover, with the loose puck floating right where Koltsov could grab it. Koltsov then cut to the net and beat Sebastian Charvat to the glove side for his fifth of the year and a 1-0 Phantoms lead. Jack Hair doubled that lead at 14:42, finishing off a 3-on-2 break for Youngstown. Koltsov poked home his second marker of the night 5:20 into the second, giving Youngstown a commanding 3-0 lead.

Waterloo came storming back, scoring two goals 3:03 apart to make it a one-goal game. Rian Marquardt took a Waterloo faceoff win, walked down the wall, across the goal line, and fired a backhander past Owen Lepak at 9:44 for his first of the season. Hayden Russell converted a 4-on-2 rush for the Black Hawks at 12:47, snapping a wrister from the high slot past Lepak for his seventh of the campaign. The Phantoms answered back though, when Spencer potted his first USHL goal at 18:32, redirecting a shot-pass from Andre Linna into the net from the high slot after a faceoff win. The assist for Linna was his first USHL point, which also came in his first USHL game. Waterloo outshot Youngstown 17-4 in the second period, but each team scored twice in the middle frame, the Black Hawks unable to close the gap from intermission to intermission.

The Black Hawks narrowed the lead to one once more early in the final period. Trevor O’Donohue scored on the rush just 3:50 into the third period for the Hawks, trimming the Youngstown lead back to one. The heavy forecheck that Youngstown relied on in the opening period reared its head again in the third, as Jessee Orlowsky created a turnover below the goal line, fed Koltsov, and Koltsov found Austin Hall across the slot for a quick one-timer to the twine at 12:38 for a big insurance goal. Youngstown dodged a bullet a few moments later as Lukas Zajic’s minor for holding was confirmed under review as Waterloo challenged to see if there was a major penalty on the play. After the unsuccessful power play, Charvat left the ice for the extra attacker at 17:41, leading to Orlowsky capping off the night with an empty netter at 18:03.

Charvat stopped 14-of-19, suffering just his second loss of the season. Lepak stopped 30-of-33, tying his second-highest season output for saves in a game. Malachi McKinnon extended his scoring streak to six games with an assist on the Spencer goal.

Waterloo and Youngstown wrap up their season series Saturday night at the Covelli Centre with a 6:00pm puck drop.

Shots – 20

Saves – 30

Power Play – 0/1

Penalty Kill – 1/1

Goals – Hair, Hall, Koltsov (2), Orlowsky, Spencer

Assists – Hall, Kaiser, Koltsov, Linna, McKinnon, Orlowsky (2), Spencer

Box Score - https://ushl.com/ht/#/game-center/13598