Staff photo / Brian Yauger Phantoms forward Matous Kucharcik (23) battles for possession of the puck with Des Moines’ defenseman Nick Koering during a game Friday at Covelli Centre.

YOUNGSTOWN — Friday’s Youngstown Phantoms showdown was a back-and-forth affair. For each punch they threw, the Des Moines Buccaneers matched.

The Phantoms’ last punch was a decisive one however, as Youngstown won its first game of the new year at the Covelli Centre, 4-3.

While exciting for the fans, Phantoms coach Ryan Ward was left wanting more from his team.

“It was great. The crowd was awesome, but that was super uncharacteristic of how we play hockey,” Ward said. “It was just a lot of like what you would expect at the beginning of the season, mental mistakes. Our coverages were not great, just some poor efforts around their locker room. Good teams find ways to win, no question, but we have a lot left in the tank. We’ve got to clean that up. We will tomorrow morning, and we’ll be way better tomorrow.”

Despite some excellent opportunities, the Phantoms couldn’t capitalize in the first period.

Friday’s first goal came around the midway point of the second period, a shot from Cade De St. Hubert beat out Tobias Trejbal to put the Buccaneers up, capping off a long uninterrupted stretch of play.

Not long after Cal Huston’s equalizing goal was taken off the board, Cooper Simpson tied the game up with a textbook goal that didn’t require a second look.

In the waning seconds of the middle period, Simpson struck again, this time on the power play, rocketing a pass from Willson past Alan Lendak into the net. Entering the locker room after two, the Phantoms held a 2-1 lead.

This marks Simpson’s third game in a row with multiple goals.

“He’s obviously a very special player,” Ward said. “It’s funny, his shooting percentage is actually kind of coming back to where it normally is, so that’s a pretty dangerous thing for him. He’s been good all year, and he scored goals in massive moments and we’re going to need that down the stretch here.”

Just seconds after surviving a 4-on-3 penalty kill, the Phantoms surrendered their second goal of the night. Des Moines forward Jakub Dubravik fired a slap shot past Trejbal to tie the game up just before the halfway point of the third period.

That deadlock didn’t last long however. Set up by a well-placed Malachi McKinnon pass, forward Jakub Hes beat out Lendak to give the Phantoms a 3-2 lead.

But that lead lasted an even shorter period of time, as just 18 seconds later, Ryan Seelinger responded for the Buccaneers.

Jack Hextall gave the Phantoms a late edge, scoring the go-ahead goal with three-and-a-half minutes remaining in the contest.

Youngstown survived the final minutes, two of which were on the penalty kill, to hang on and top the Buccaneers.

Trejbal finished the night with 23 saves.

The Phantoms are back on the ice tonight for another match against Des Moines. Puck drop is set for 6:05 p.m.

WILLSON ON TOP

Jack Willson set a new club record for games played as a Phantom, suiting up in 175th game. Willson surpassed now-Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor (2012-15).

“He’s the heartbeat of the team,” Ward said. “He holds a special place in all of our hearts. We won a championship together, and he’s been a good leader. I think he’s done a really good job this year. He had a tough year last year, and for his ability to bounce back, and continue to lead this team, it’s not easy to play in the same place for multiple years, and I think (Willson has) done a really, really good job.”