Staff photo / Brian Yauger Youngstown Phantoms forward William Whitelaw looks for an opening against the Chicago Steel during the Eastern Conference finals of the Clark Cup playoffs.

When a team goes on the road in the playoffs, getting just one win in the opposition’s home arena is usually a promising sign.

The Youngstown Phantoms took the 17-hour bus ride up to Fargo, and won the first two games of the Clark Cup Finals to take a commanding 2-0 lead and set themselves up with two opportunities to end the series and lift the Clark Cup on home ice at the Covelli Centre.

Game 3 is set to begin tonight at 7:05 p.m. with a reportedly sold out crowd. Phantoms president Andrew Goldman confirmed that over 6,000 people will be in the building to support the Phantoms in their attempt to capture the Clark Cup.

Game 1 may have been a 4-1 Phantoms victory, but was much closer than the score shows. Neither team hit the back of the net for 40 minutes, and it wasn’t until the third period when William Whitelaw knocked a puck home.

The goals came in quick succession with Miles Gunty scoring a minute later, then Shane Lachance put one in as well midway through the period. 30 seconds after Lachance’s goal, Whitelaw scored another on the empty net.

Game 2 required extra time to decide a winner. Andon Cerbone continued his stellar playoff run, scoring the game-winning goal and his fourth of the postseason, in addition to four assists in eight total games. Gunty scored the team’s regulation goal.

“I think with the length of the trip, just kind of new territory for us, it was huge,” Phantoms coach Ryan Ward said about getting two road wins. “Obviously, you want to go up and split and get home ice back, but to win two is a huge credit to the guys and what they’ve just done all year. Buying in, understanding the gravity of the moment, staying even-keeled and sticking to our game plan.

“Being able to reset like that for a group of young players after Game 1 is huge, and to go out with the urgency and desperation that they had for Game 2 and get that win to come home with a 2-0 series lead is a huge testament to their character and our leadership.”

Confidence has never been an issue for this group. From day one, the Phantoms have believed in the coaching staff and their teammates that this was something achievable.

With that said, there was a series against Chicago in February where it really sank in that this group could make a real run.

“I think we all knew our leadership, our coaching staff, we all knew we had the team to do it,” defenseman Andrew Centrella said. “Then I think that weekend in February where we swept the Chicago Steel, that really solidified it and put a lot of confidence in our group.”

They’re going to need that confidence, because a team like Fargo isn’t going away easily. The postseason is a battle of wills, and a Will just so happens to be a key part of the Phantoms’ success this year.

“Playoffs is a do-or-die thing and we really want to win,” Whitelaw, a USHL All-Rookie second team selection, said. “We have a great group of guys, so I’m just going to keep playing my game. I couldn’t do it without the support of my teammates, but I’ll just go to the rink every day with the same mindset that we’re trying to win. I’m going to do whatever it takes to win.”

The Phantoms get their first chance to force out Fargo tonight at the Covelli Centre.

“All year long, our goal has been to bring a Clark Cup to Youngstown,” Ward said. “I think that as we’ve gotten closer to that goal, instead of becoming lax or or not understanding the gravity of the situation, they’ve gone the other way and tasted it. I think for them, they’ve done a great job of being mature about their business and what we’re trying to do here, and ultimately that’s to put a Clark Cup banner up at the Covelli Centre. I think they’ve done a great job of understanding what’s at stake and not taking any days for granted.

“It’s certainly a reflection of Shane Lachance and our leadership group and how they handle the locker room, but they’ve been dialed in with one one singular focus all year and I think you’re seeing that (pay off).”

For some of these players, like Lachance, this weekend is the last time they’ll hit the ice at the Covelli Centre in a Phantoms uniform. That adds a little extra motivation to pull out all the stops.

“Obviously it’s going to be way better if you win,” Lachance said. “Going out as a winner is awesome. Obviously at this level, it’s really hard to win championships. I think to close teams out like this is really hard and it’ll just make it a lot easier for me to leave this place if we go out a winner.”

One goal this team has had since day one of the Ward era, is to put Youngstown on the map as a hockey town.

Winning a Clark Cup is a good first step.

“It’s everything we’ve worked for this season,” Whitelaw said. “I think the first talk we had when we came here was about the end goal, which is winning a Clark Cup and that’d be everything for the group.

“We’re really trying to get the city on the map and become more of a hockey city, and I think we’re doing a good job of that. It would just be a huge, huge accomplishment for me and the guys in the room and we’re really excited for it.”