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Phantoms 5, MK Lightning 4 - Triple crown for fabulous Phantoms
ANY debates about the greatest hockey team this city has ever produced were put to bed for good at the Skydome Arena on Sunday night.
ANY debates about the greatest hockey team this city has ever produced were put to bed for good at the Skydome Arena on Sunday night.In beating Milton Keynes Lightning to lift the play-off trophy, the Phantoms class of 2009 completed the fabled Triple Crown and so elevated themselves way above anything else that has gone before.
So while the likes of John Lawless, Randy Smith and Doug McEwen will always be revered in these parts, from now on the names of Dwayne Newman, Craig Peacock, Nathan Rempel et al will be discussed in the same awed tones.
Because never before has any team won the EPL league, cup and the play-offs in the same season and it is that incredible feat which sets Colin Patterson's awesome side on their own unique pedestal and will ultimately burn their names into legend.
Two goals for Craig Peacock and one each for Maris Ziedins, Brent Gough and James Hutchinson delivered a glorious win against the old enemy but every man in a Phantoms jersey deserves to be hailed from the rafters for their Coventry heroics.
In a city steeped in history, from Lady Godiva to the heavy bombing raids of the Second World War, the boys in blue wrote their own footnote in the pages of sporting folklore with a performance fit for kings.
Ice hockey special report:
Peterborough Phantoms: 2009 treble winners
James Westgate relives the Phantoms' all-conquering 2009 season.
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And if it was the last act in coach Patterson's incredible eight months with the club, then he goes with the blessing of the hundreds of adoring fans who cheered his team to victory and the thanks of a grateful city.
He said: "What can you say other than this is the finest moment in my 40-year career as a coach. The guys were just superb and I thought Stephen Wall was superb again for us tonight.
"All the guys were superb though. Like a green willow we have bent at times this season, but we have never looked like breaking.
"They have played so many big games and delivered every time. Sometimes I do not know where they find that little bit extra but they did it again.
"And it has not been about luck or getting the rub, they have worked for everything they have got and they have now made history.
"We knew Lightning would be desperate to get something from their season and they played a great game but we were that little bit better and despite everything we have already won, we wanted it that bit more."
But after shipping an early goal when Gary Clarke struck after just 44 seconds of the first period, Phantoms certainly had their work cut out against a pumped up Lightning side.
Clearly determined not to play second fiddle to their biggest rivals yet again, MK tore into the champions and it took a while for Phantoms to settle and get their slick passing game up to speed.
When they did find their feet however the goals arrived in five action-packed minutes of classic Phantoms counter- attacking.
First Ziedins slammed home his fourth of the weekend before Gough put his side ahead when he unleashed a blue line howitzer on the powerplay.
And before the period was out Peacock slammed in 53rd goal of the season to send Phantoms into the break with a vital two-goal cushion.
Andre Smulter pulled one back with another early goal for MK but Hutchinson's drive restored the balance of power to leave Phantoms heading into the final act within touching distance of glory.
Smulter's second did make things a little edgy for a while but a typically buccaneering surge from James Morgan presented Peacock with the kind of chance the young hitman rarely misses to make the score 5-3 with seven minutes to go.
And with Newman, Morgan, Hutchinson, Julian Smith and Andy Munroe all defending like lions, a late Nick Poole effort was not going to be enough to prevent Phantoms from meeting their date with destiny.
Newman said: "We did it again, and that is testament to the team spirit which runs so deep through this side. We sweated blood out there tonight for each other and I am so proud to have been a part of that. This is an historic achievement and it will be something we all remember and cherish for the rest of our lives. It is moments like this that we play the game for."
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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