Another massive win for Peterborough Phantoms

The city team enjoyed a 10-5 away win at Streatham on Saturday (March 2) before roaring to an even bigger triumph last night (March 3).

Phantoms racked up a 15-0 scoreline against rock-bottom Invicta in a Planet Ice mismatch for which the visiting side could only name eight players.

It wasn’t really a game. It most definitely wasn’t a contest. In fact it was a complete and utter waste of time.

Phantoms struck four times in the opening period, lit the lamp six times in the middle session and added a further five goals in a final period played at pedestrian pace with several forwards withdrawn.

There’s no doubt they could have had many more as well, but head coach Slava Koulikov was at pains to stress that Invicta should not be humiliated.

In fact the Kent club’s small group of available players - netminder Conor Morris, Ondrej Zosiak, Matt Foord, Andrew Munroe, Anthony Leone, Oskars Ancitis, Arran Strawson and Ryan Morgan – deserve huge credit for even taking to the ice.

The award of the man-of-the-match accolade to their entire team, and the standing ovation as they left the ice, were both richly deserved.

“We wanted four points from the weekend,” said Koulikov. “We got them and the manner in which we did it by scoring so many goals is pleasing.

“To go and score 10 goals in Streatham’s building was no mean feat and there were a lot of good performances.

“Last night Invicta could have easily forfeited the game, but they respected the fixture and our fans.

“We could have run up a crazy core, but it was about finding the balance between entertaining our fans and not embarrassing the Invicta guys.”

There were nine different scorers for Phantoms during the rout last night.

Ales Padelek hit a hat-trick for the second successive night while Nathan Pollard also bagged a treble.

Big Petr Stepanek struck twice with captain James Ferrara, James White and Martins Susters other senior men to find the net.

Youngsters Jarvis Hunt and Taylor Romeo also joined the party while another junior player provided arguably the best of the bunch.

Teenage talent Ross Clarke was certainly responsible for the most notable goal as he struck for the first time in senior hockey.

The 16 year-old from Guyhirn, a product of the club’s junior system, claimed the penultimate goal with a sizzling shot on the turn.

The victory came complete with a shut-out for back-up netminder Ryan Bainborough who dealt with all 20 shots he faced. Rival goalie Morris had 70 on-target attempts unleashed in his direction.

Koulikov, who also handed a first senior outing to teenage defenceman Craig Ellis, said: “The youngsters did really well again and it was great to see three of them score goals.

“The ice time they’ve had in the last two weekends will only help them going forward.”

Phantoms are back on home ice on Wednesday (March 6) as they host Bracknell (7.45pm) while their only fixture of the weekend is a Saturday (March 9) trip to Invicta (6pm).

The city men remain second in the standings, six points behind leaders Swindon, but four points clear of third-placed Basingstoke.

MATCH DETAILS

Goals

PHANTOMS

5.58 Padelek ass: J. Ferrara

9.22 Stepanek ass: Buglass/Robson

15.06 J. Ferrara ass: Billing/Padelek

15.18 Padelek ass: Billing

21.06 Stepanek ass: McEwen/Pollard

27.23 McEwen ass: Stepanek/Susters

32.26 Pollard ass: Weldon/Stepanek

32.47 Pollard ass: R. Ferrara/Weldon

36.27 Padelek ass: Billing/J. Ferrara

38.53 Hunt ass: R. Ferrara/Romeo

41.43 White ass: R. Ferrara/Weldon

47.21 Romeo ass: Susters/Stepanek

48.32 Pollard ass: Bowering/White

51.43 Clarke ass: Susters/Hunt

55.03 Susters ass: Stepanek/McEwen

INVICTA

None

Men-of-the-match

PHANTOMS - Nathan Pollard

INVICTA - whole team