Thunder win streak snapped at Youngstown

bloomingtonthunder630By WJBC Staff

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown Phantoms scored twice in the opening period and had a pair of power-play goals, stopping the Bloomington Thunder’s three-game win streak with a 4-1 win on Monday afternoon at the Covelli Centre.

Austin Pooley netted a pair of goals for the Phantoms (19-11-3-1, 42 pts) and had an empty-net tally with 1:19 left in regulation to hold off the Thunder’s comeback bid.

Trailing 3-0 at the outset of the third period, Bloomington (16-12-3-0, 35 pts) struck on a 5-on-3 power play to cut the deficit to two less than halfway through the frame. Wyatt Kalynuk ripped a slap shot from the left point, beating Phantoms goaltender Ivan Kulbakov at the 8:46 mark of the final period. The goal for Kalynuk stretched his career-high point streak to five games. He has points in six of his last seven contests after going seven games without a point.

Bloomington outshot the Phantoms by nine in the game and increased that pressure in the third period, limiting Youngstown to four shots. But despite the edge in shots on goal for the ninth consecutive game, the Thunder had trouble solving Kulbakov, who finished with 27 saves on 28 shots.

In holding the Phantoms to 19 shots on goal for the game, the Thunder set a new season-low for shots against. Coincidentally, the previous low came in a 3-1 win over Youngstown on Nov. 11 when Bloomington allowed just 20 shots on goal.

Mitchell Mattson registered an assist on Kalynuk’s goal, giving him four points in his last three games. After being selected in the 2016 NHL Draft, Mattson has posted 17 points in his first full season in Bloomington.

Logan Halladay finished with 15 saves in his 20th game of the season.

Bloomington continues an eastward road swing with a game against the Team USA under-17 team Saturday in Plymouth, Michigan, before returning home to host Youngstown Sunday.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…