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More big hits to come says Maris
PHANTOMS have vowed to fight their way into the English Premier League Play-offs.
The city side ended a seven-game losing streak by adopting a full-on physical approach against Sheffield Steeldogs on Sunday. Fans at the Peterborough Arena were treated to some ‘old time hockey’ as Phantoms crunched bodies and fought a series of stand-up fist fights on their way to a 5-2 win.
It was a far cry from some of the listless displays over the past few weeks as the Steeldogs were bashed from one end of the Bretton rink to the other. And star man Maris Ziedins has promised more of the same.
He said: “There was definitely a change in approach against the Steeldogs and it worked. Over the past few weeks we had lost a bit of direction but we had a talk before the Steeldogs game and decided to get back to basics and play a tough, physical game.
“So when myself and Jeff Glowa went out for our first shift we went in hard and crunched some bodies. It really got the fans going and it really got the team going as well.
“And Sheffield didn’t like it one little bit. There were a few fights but we won those battles too. It sent a message to the rest of the league that no one is coming to our building anymore and leaving with points unless they fight for them.
“We play Telford Tigers on Saturday night (face-off 7pm) and they can expect the same kind of treatment. We will be playing just as hard and tough against them as we need the points badly.
“It is a perfectly legitimate approach and it is one that has served this club well in the past.
“We had gotten away from it a bit this season but we rediscovered how effective it can be. It is a winning formula for us and one we intend sticking too.”
Ziedins opened the scoring against the Steeldogs on Sunday to break a barren run of five games without a goal.
The key strike has brought the confidence flooding back for the Latvian sniper who has admitted that heads had begun to drop before the Steeldogs game.
“We had lost our way and confidence had begun to dip a bit for all of us. I know it was good for me to get that goal as it was an important time for us to score and hopefully I can go on a bit of a run now.
“But the most important thing was the result and what that has done for the team’s confidence as a whole. We won a really big game and we also showed that we can come from behind and take the points when we have to.
“It has given everyone a huge boost and I hope it gave our fans a big lift as well.
“They have been great this season and hopefully we can give them something else to cheer about on Saturday night.
“We want to go out there and put in another big effort with big hits and lots of excitement and of course, another two points.”
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Weather for Peterborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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