The West Michigan Phantoms kicked off the team's 29th season on a positive note Sunday, downing Mungduhl (formally known as Team Chowder) 9-5. The Phantoms and Mungduhl would play a tight defensive game during the first two periods, but the yellow and black would explode in the third period with five goals to skate to a 9-5 victory. The victory marks the second straight season opening win for the bronze-leagued Phantoms. The Phantoms would waste no time kicking off the 29th season festivities, as Tim Czycyk would score the first goal of the Winter 2010 season just 1:32 into the game (assisted by Jason Schemmel) to begin the Phantom's nine-goal scoring assault. Trent Kik would edge the Phantoms up another tally six minutes later, as the Phantom captain, now proudly displaying the Patrick Kane #88, would notch his first of the season off a set-up feed from newly married forward Gordie Anderson. Despite pulling into a 2-0 lead, the Phantoms and Mungduhl would continue to battle in a tight game. Mungduhl's desire to remain competitive would yield two goals in the span of 2:27 to ultimately tie the duel at 2-2. However, the Phantoms would not denied of a lead going into the first intermission. Tim Czycyk would stage his second of the game just 30 seconds following the Mungduhl's game tieing strike (again assisted by Jason Schemmel) to put the Phantoms on top 3-2 after the opening period. In the second period, the Phantoms would climb into their second two-goal lead of the night 3:49 into the period, as Jason Schemmel would stage an assisted tally short-handed to put the Phantoms in charge of a 4-2 lead. That two-goal grip would hold until the final seconds of the period, when Mungduhl would score with 11 seconds remaining in the period while the Phantom's Chad Manning was serving a tripping infraction. The Mungduhl powerplay goal would narrow the score 4-3 in favor of the Phantoms entering the second intermission. In the third period, the Phantom offense would come alive. The Yellow and Black would strike with three goals in the opening 3:17 to rocket into a 7-3 lead. Phantom newcomer John Dykehouse would open the third period scoring just 1:09 into the period, as Dykehouse would be set up on a Tim Vanoverloop pass to put the Phantoms up 5-3. Nearly a minute later, Chad Manning would strike with an unassisted tally for his first of the season to mount the Phantoms into a 6-3 lead. Roughly 90 seconds later, Tim Czycyk would net his third of the contest to complete the Hat-Trick (assisted by Justin Calkins) to complete the three-goal feeding frenzy for the Phantoms. Mungduhl would answer with a third period tally of their own to trim the surging Phantom lead to 7-4. Minutes later, the Phantom's Nate Tyler, with some luck on his stick, would manage to pull the trigger just hard enough to allow the puck to inch through the pads and across the goal-line for his first of the season and the eighth for the Phantoms during the contest (Chad Manning and Brian Doctor with the assists). Jason Schemmel would then add to the Phantoms third period bombing of Mungduhl, as the former Blue Vortex forward would stage his second of the contest (assisted by Tim Czycyk) to increase the Phantom lead to 9-4. With just seconds remaining in the game, Mungduhl would cap the scoring with their fifth of the game. The 9-5 victory by the Phantoms pushes them to a 1-0 start for the Winter 2010 season. On the game, the Phantoms out shot Mungduhl 30-23. The Phantoms would be sentenced on all of the game penalties, as the yellow shirts were sentenced on two minors for four minutes. The Phantoms played without the services of Darren Skuse who remains on the injured reserved list following minor surgery two days prior to the start of the season. The Phantoms will return to action on Sunday, October 17th.