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Some Phantoms work the corner in a Sunday grinder against the Steel.The Phantoms Grind Down the Steel! - Some Phantoms work the corner in a Sunday grinder against the Steel.
Sunday afternoon games are sometimes hard for players and fans to get up the energy for. Couple that with both teams playing games the previous two evenings and you would expect a low key game on the ice. Then, add in the fact that it was Halloween and many people were busy with that (or a competing big NFL game) and you would expect the stands to be pretty low key as well. You'd be right on both accounts. With the defending champions and current league leading Chicago Steel coming to town, we were hoping the Phantoms could find a little sugar rush in their candy bags.

The Steel gave the Phantoms a treat early when the puck took an unexpected bounce off the side boards during a routine Phantoms dump in. As the Steel netminder, Gibson Homer, went behind the net to stop the puck, it instead took a hop towards the slot. Homer managed to dive back to the top of the crease to try to stop the puck, but Kyle Bettens came streaking in and got enough of the puck that it trickled through the floundering goaltender just 0:48 into the game.

The Phantoms held the momentum for most of the period, not really dominating but clearly keeping their pace just above the Steel. Kyle Chauvette, starting his second game in less than 24 hours, made several stellar saves as the period progressed. As the first neared it's end, Tyler Catalano dislodged the puck from the Steel's Michael Emerson following a dump in. The puck went straight to the stick of the Phantoms Grant Porter in the high slot, who wasted no time snapping home his first USHL goal with 0:38 left in the period. The Phantoms took the 2-0 lead to the intermission with the shots 10-9 in favor of Chicago.

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Tensions flare between the Phantoms and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Giving the 'Riders a Rough Time! - Tensions flare between the Phantoms and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.
It's funny sometimes what a difference 24 hours can make for a team. After a lackluster performance the night before the Phantoms turned it around to make short work of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders who have given the fits the past three games. It was a much needed win, not just for points in the standings but also for the moral of the team and fans.

Things got of to a fast start. An odd bounce off the back boards had the puck eluding RoughRiders goaltender Bruno Bruveris behind the net. Justin Varner (credited on the score sheet to Chase Pietila) centered the puck to the crease and Shane Lechance managed to shove it in for his first USHL goal at 3:01 of the opening frame. The Phantoms extended the lead to a pair on a powerplay. With Cole Burtch in the box for holding, Kyle Bettens (again, credited to Morgan Winters officially) fed the puck to Jaden Grant alone in the low slot. Grant managed a quick short-side shot as he cut across the top of the crease, beating Bruveris at 14:33. The Phantoms were outshot by the 'Riders 9-8 in the first period.

The teams exchanged goals in the second. The 'Riders David Chen throwing a puck towards the net where it appeared to take a bounce off of Kenta Isogai and and managed to sneak in the side of Kyle Chauvette's net at 3:14. The Phantoms pushed the lead back to 2 goals when, on a rush up ice, Stiven Sardarian hit Ryan Alexander with a pass from the left face off circle to the right. Alexander had to stop and corral the puck to shoot it and whipped a laser to beat Bruveris at 7:31 of the second. Shots were 13-8 Phantoms in the middle frame.

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Owen Bartoszkewicz deflects a shot to the side, stopping 17-20 in a 3-2 loss to Cedar Rapids.Bartoszkewicz turns one aside! - Owen Bartoszkewicz deflects a shot to the side, stopping 17-20 in a 3-2 loss to Cedar Rapids.

Well, after a week off and two weeks on the road the Phantoms returned to the Covelli for only their second home game of the season. The first game, way back on October 2nd, was a 8-1 pounding of the NTDP in front of a jubilant crowd. Last night felt like the polar opposite. Coming off of a long stretch away from home, a 4 game losing streak, and a controversial trade, the Phantoms first game back was markedly less energetic and a much smaller crowd and the performance on the ice matched.

The first 40:00 saw the teams exchange goals, not a lot of action. The Phantoms seemed to come out with some energy and ready to play for about the first 5:00 of the opening frame but that quickly faded and the RoughRiders took over most of the rest of the frame. At 7:11 of the first, the 'Riders Adam Flammang ripped a shot off the rush from the top of the right side faceoff circle to the top far corner, beating Owen Bartoszkewicz stick side for a 1-0 riders lead. Shots were 7-4 'Riders.

The Phantoms tied it late in the second. Justin Varner notched his second of the season, tracking down a loose puck and whipping a shot from the left faceoff circle that trickled through 'Riders netminder Connor Hasley at 14:56. Shots were even at 6 a side in the second.

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