Yeah sounds like interesting towns to visit.
You're 6-1/2 hours from Youngstown, OH. But the Phantoms may switch to the OHL before you save up the travel budget.
An even closer option would be next season's USHL Fall Classic, hosted annually at the Pittsburgh Peguins' practice facility (side-by-side rinks @ UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, PA). 16 games to start the League's season for all teams, played over 5 consecutive days in mid-to-late September. The JMCs attended in 2021 and did some area touring while there. Early season junior hockey can be a bit uneven, but it's a good intro to U.S. Tier 1 play for a reasonable price of admission.