A penalty shootout win as Peterborough Phantoms continue their exciting start to the National League season
It’s been an exciting start to the National Ice Hockey League season for Peterborough Phantoms.
The city skaters have won two and lost two of four tight struggles with the second win coming after a penalty shootout against the Berkshire Bees at Planet Ice on Saturday.
It finished 3-3 after regular time and a five-minute period of extra time, but Phantoms proved deadly in the shootout winning it 3-0.
Cam Hough, Luke Ferrara and Janne Laakkonen scored for the home side with Brad Bowering the only Phantom to miss. Phantoms netminder Hayden Lavigne made one big stop.
Phantoms had fought back from a goal down to lead 2-1 after one period with strikes from Nathan Salem and Laakkonen.
The Bees levelled in the second period before Jarvis Hunt fired Phantoms back in front six minutes from time.
The visitors equalised pretty quickly, but they came up short in the subsequent shootout as they suffered a second narrow defeat at the hands of Phantoms this season.
Assists for Phantoms were credited to man-of-the-match Salem, Ferrara, and Hough.
Phantoms came up short the following night at the Raiders who emerged from another tight tussle as 4-3 winners.
Slava Koulikov’s men came from a goal down to lead 2-1 after two periods as Brad Bowering and Hough found the back of the net.
But Raiders’ imports started to take control of the game and the home side scored three times in the opening six minutes of the final period to effectively seal the win.
Phantoms did pull a goal back with two-and-a-half minutes to go through Laakkonen when enjoying a five-on-three advantage, but they couldn’t find a fourth goal.
Assists in this game went to Laakkonen, Hunt, Connor Glossop, Tom Norton and Salem.
Phantoms sit fifth of 11 teams in the early-season National League table ahead of games at Sheffield Steeldogs on Saturday (7pm face-off) and Swindon Wildcats at Planet Ice on Sunday (5.30pm).
It promises to be a tough weekend as Phantoms have already lost at home to Sheffield, while Swindon have won three of their first four matches. Tickets for home games can be purchased at www.gophantoms.co.uk.