DUBUQUE, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints leveled their Eastern Conference Semifinal series at one against the Youngstown Phantoms with a 6-0 victory on Sunday evening in Dubuque.

The Saints started quickly in Game 2, trying to rebound from being shutout in Game 1 on Saturday. Just 1:05 into the opening frame Juraj Pekarcik and Erik Påhlsson combined for a give-and-go on the rush and Pekarcik beat Aiden Wright to open the scoring. 

Only 3:05 later, with the same line on the ice, the Fighting Saints sprung forward again. Pekarcik found Beckett Hendrickson, who lifted a shot on net that bounced off Wright and caromed into the net off a Youngstown back-checker. The Saints jumped to a 2-0 lead just 4:10 into the contest and never looked back.

Later in the opening frame, Lucas St. Louis popped home a one-timer on a power-play feed from Pekarcik and the Saints finished the opening frame with a 3-0 advantage. 

Kevin Reidler made 19 saves in his first playoff win, blanking the Phantoms after making 22 of 24 saves in Game 1. Despite only facing 19 shots, Reidler blocked a couple good Youngstown chances to keep the Phantoms off the board.

Early in the second, the Saints' fourth line stormed through center and set up Jayden Jubenvill for a shot toward the net. It was blocked, but bounced right back to Jubenvill at the right circle. He lasered a snapshot into the top corner of the net and put the Saints ahead 4-0. 

In the third, the Fighting Saints added two more goals with both coming within seconds of power-play chances ending. The first came from Jake Sondreal before Seamus Powell extended the lead to 6-0. Overall, the Saints finished with a goal on eight power-play chances, but added the two just after opportunities expired.

Dubuque entered the night with 15 kills on 16 penalties against Youngstown throughout the regular season and Game 1 of the series. On Sunday in Game 2, the Saints killed all four penalties they faced.

After leading the Eastern Conference in offense in the regular season, the Saints got back on track with six tallies by six different goal scorers in their Game 2 win.

The best-of-five series heads back to Youngstown for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday tied at one. Puck drop on Tuesday is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CDT.