YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Defenseman Jack Willson scored the first and fourth goal for the Youngstown Phantoms (22-14-0-1, 45 points), helping them down Team USA 4-2 at the Covelli Centre Saturday night.
Willson, who missed the first three months of the season with a lower-body injury, now has nine games under his belt for the season and notched his first two points of the campaign. “It’s been great,” said Willson. “It’s great to be back with the guys. It was a hard six months (recovering) from surgery. Just grinding to get back and being back with the guys is everything.”
“(Willson) is starting to get back to where he was,” said Phantoms Head Coach Ryan Ward. “When you undergo major surgery, it’s difficult to come back, it takes a bit. He’s starting to be steady back there, and obviously two huge goals tonight, so good to have him contributing.”
With Youngstown already trailing 1-0 due to Charlie Trethewey’s power play goal at 7:27 of the first, Willson joined the rush and fired home a cross-ice pass from Adam Benák at 12:58 to knot the game at 1-1. Jake Stuart scored Team USA’s second power play goal of the period at 17:25, giving the visitors the lead back. The advantage only lasted about 90 seconds though, as Jamison Sluys blasted a one-timer from the right-wing corner behind Joey Slavick (15 saves), tying things at 2-2 heading to the first intermission.
The second period was a penalty-filled affair with the teams combining for seven power plays and 28 penalty minutes in the frame. Youngstown dominated play, outshooting Team USA 12-1 in the period and also came away with the only goal of the middle session. Ryan Rucinski cashed in on the power play, picking up a blocked pass and sweeping it past Harrison Boettiger (8 saves) with just 8 seconds remaining in the period, putting Youngstown in front. Willson scored a power play goal of his own 3:14 into the third period, his shot from the left point going off the glove of Boettiger and into the cage.
Melvin Strahl earned his second win of the weekend in net for Youngstown, stopping 18/20. Boettiger replaced Slavick in the USA net with 6:17 left in the second period in a planned move by USA.
Youngstown wrapped up their four-game homestand with a 3-1-0 mark and will now head out for a six-game road trip with games against the U17s, Des Moines, Waterloo, and Chicago before coming back to Covelli for an eight-game stay, starting February 21 against the Muskegon Lumberjacks.
By The Numbers
Shots – 27
Saves – 18
Power Play – 2/9
Penalty Kill – 3/5
Goals – Rucinski, Sluys, Willson (2)
Assists – Benák (2), Hanrahan, Jardine, Mesic, Resendes, Sluys
PHOTO CREDIT SCOTT GALVIN/SCOTT GALVIN PHOTOGRAPHY