Peterborough Phantoms have a great opportunity to reach a 'Grand Final' next weekend

​The city skaters secured their semi-final place with a group game to spare after a thrilling 6-5 overtime win at Hull Seahawks last Saturday.

That result meant a 7-4 defeat on home ice to the Seahawks the following night was irrelevant.

And Phantoms will contest that semi-final against Telford Tigers. The final league standings – both team finished on 59 points from 54 games - suggest a tight encounter, but both teams will be pleased to have avoided league champions Leeds Knights and third-placed finishers Swindon Wildcats who meet in the other semi-final.

Telford were surprise winners of their group with Swindon in second, while league runners-up MK Lightning finished last. Phantoms finished second in their group behind Leeds.

Phantoms won four and lost one of five regular season meetings with Telford, including all three away games. Telford did win the last clash though, 3-2 at Planet Ice in March.

Phantoms will be without forward Martins Susters who is serving a six-game suspension for an ‘illegal check to the head.’

PLAY OFF TABLES

Group A

Leeds 6 5 1 32 17 11

Phantoms 6 4 2 24 22 10

Hull 6 3 3 35 31 7

Bees 6 0 6 17 38 0

Group B

Telford 6 4 2 27 23 8

Swindon 6 3 3 21 22 7

Raiders 6 3 3 23 26 6

MK L 6 2 4 21 21 5

In Sunday’s dead rubber, Phantoms led 1-0 through a Luke Ferrara goal, but slipped 3-1 behind before Swedish import Ivan Björkly Nordström and Ferrara got the city side back on level terms.

Seahawks pulled away again to lead 6-3 with Ales Padalek replying for Phantoms before the visitors completed the scoring past back-up netminder Tyler De La Bertouche, who was given valuable minutes in place of Jordan Marr.

There was a first senior point for home skater Matthew Saville and captain Will Weldon claimed an assist in his final home outing for the club.

There was a presentation to Weldon by the club before last night’s game.