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Phantoms 5, Sheffield 2 - Phantoms muzzle the sorry Steeldogs
Ice hockey action from Phantoms v Sheffield Steeldogs: Robbie Brown scores Phantoms' second. Photo: Alan Storer/Peterboroguh ET
(English Premier League report: Peterborough Phantoms showed they may just have the fight to save their season after a classic display of old time hockey against the Steeldogs.
Following a miserable run of seven games without a win, the chips were down at the Peterborough Arena last night and Chris Allen’s team responded superbly with arguably their best display of the season.
It may not have been pretty, but it was devastatingly effective with two goals from Luke Ferrara and one each for Maris Ziedins, Robbie Brown and Ondrej Lauko leaving the Steeldogs battered, bruised and badly beaten.
And what made this win so satisfying was that Phantoms didn’t just win a vital hockey game, they showed once and for all that they are no longer a team to be pushed around.
Joe Graham showed as much when he fought Craig Elliott in the first period while Richard Bentham dropped Lee Haywood with a right hand that even the great Muhammad Ali would have been proud of.
Phantoms still face a long hard road to salvation but Allen’s team were certainly knockout last night.
He said: “We needed to put in a performance for ourselves and for our fans.
“After last week, when we fell apart against Bison in the third period, to go out there for the last 20 minutes and score four goals was a great effort.
“It showed what we are capable of when we are working hard for each other and playing hard. Now we just need to keep it up, if we can do that then we can really go on a roll.”
Following Saturday’s game in Swindon, Allen had complained about a lack of heart and passion but his team showed both in abundance from the moment referee Joy Tottman dropped the puck.
Tom Carlon and Robbie Brown wasted no time putting Ben Bowns to work in the visitors’ goal as the Steeldogs found themselves under the cosh - in more ways than one.
Frustrated by Phantoms crash and bang approach, Elliott lost his rag and dropped the gloves with Graham who responded by offloading a flurry of punches that saw him ahead on most cards before the officials stepped in.
The scrap set the tone for Phantoms who continued to fly in with some heavy checks while the increasingly stretched Steeldogs responded by giving away a steady stream on penalties.
And five minutes before the buzzer Phantoms got the goal they deserved when Ziedins jumped on a loose pass before racing clear and sending a low shot under Bowns into the bottom corner.
The muscular approach continued in the middle act when Bentham flattened Haywood with a monster right hand after the pair squared off. Minutes later, however, the home side were temporarily rocked back on their heels when Andre Payette scored from close range to even the scores.
It was a fortunate goal but that didn’t stop the EPL’s number one pantomime villain milking the chorus of boos that rained down from the stands.
But however undeserved the goal may have been it gave Steeldogs a timely boost and King had to be at his best to keep out a shot from Andrew Hirst.
Hirst then decided to launch an attack of a different kind against Will Weldon which prompted another free for all in the centre of the ice.
Unfortunately it was the Steeldogs who emerged from the fracas on the front foot and they promptly took the lead for the first time through Edgar Bebris.
It was hard luck on Phantoms who came out for the third trailing by a goal. But they weren’t trailing for long before Brown tied things up again after burying Graham’s excellent diagonal pass.
And having missed a hatful of powerplay chances, Allen’s men finally made one count when Luke Ferrara scored from close range to put Phantoms back in front with just over 10 minutes to play.
Two minutes later Ferrara notched his second and Phantoms fourth after diverting Allen’s reverse pass into the top corner of the Steeldogs net as Phantoms continued to dominate.
And it got even better when Lauko knocked in a late empty netter to make it 5-2 as Phantoms wrapped up a massive two points with a truly massive performance.
SCORING
Phantoms
14.29 M. Ziedins.
43.34 R. Brown J. Graham.
48.33 L. Ferrara J. Glowa.
52.30 L. Ferrara C. Allen.
59.47 O. Lauko T. Carlon.
Man of the Match - Maris Ziedins.
Shots - 38.
Steeldogs
27.22 A. Payette E. Bebris.
36.01 E. Bebris.
Man of the Match - Ben Bowns.
Shots - 34.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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