The Youngstown Phantoms gave up a game-tying goal in the third period and then fell in the shootout, to lose 3-2 to Madison.

“We knew it was going to be a tight game and again it was tonight,” Phantoms coach Brad Patterson said. “I thought we had multiple opportunities when it was 2-1, and for whatever reason they didn’t go in the back of the net. … They had some good looks, it was a good game, but at the end of the day we lose in a shootout.”

The Phantoms found themselves in a hole quickly, as Madison forward Carson Bantle scored three minutes into the game.

It didn’t take long for the Phantoms to dig out of that hole, however, as Trevor Kuntar scored two quick goals to give the Phantoms a 2-1 lead in the first period.

Staff photo / Brian Yauger Jacob Felker of the Phantoms takes a tumble along the boards after a body check from Capitols defender Jan Stibingr.

Since returning from the World Junior A Challenge, Kuntar has scored seven goals in his four games with the Phantoms.

While playing with Team USA, Kuntar stuck to the style of play that got him there, but was excited to pick things up from his teammates.

“I just wanted to play the same way that I know how to play, the same way I play here,” he said. “Just playing with all those good players, you can learn some of the things that they do. I always try to shoot the puck a lot too.”

Neither team was able to score in the second period and it took until midway through the third for someone to score.

Capitols defenseman Stephen Davis fired a shot that was redirected into the net and tied the game up.

The tie wasn’t broken and the game went to overtime. Neither team was able to score in the extra period, forcing a shootout.

Scoring the shootout winner was Ryan Kirwan, who beat Phantoms goaltender Collin Purcell on the team’s first attempt.

The Phantoms (12-13-4-1) were unable to match it, giving the team its first shootout loss this season.

The Phantoms haven’t been shy about experimenting with their offense on the power play and that continued Sunday, switching to a five-forward platoon as opposed to the traditional three forwards and two defensemen.

Swapping out defensemen in place of forwards has been a trend at all levels of hockey in the last few years.

While getting shots on net is the name of the game, Patterson would like to see more of those opportunities connect.

“I think they had some good looks, they had possessions but I’d still like to see a little bit more delivered to the nets,” he said. “I thought tonight numerous times we were an inch away or post away or whatever the case was.”

The Phantoms are back at it Friday with a home-and-home series against the US National Team Development Program U17 team. Friday they square off in Ann Arbor, Michigan, before both teams return to Youngstown on Saturday.

This will be the team’s second meeting against the U17s, after a road loss back in October.