A positive weekend for Peterborough Phantoms who clipped the wings of the Hull Seahawks

The city side were beaten 5-4 in Humberside on Saturday night, but picked up a point after a third period fightback took the match into overtime.

And Phantoms won the return game at Planet Ice 5-2 on Sunday to claim both available points. They are now fifth in the standings after winning eight of their 14 matches. They have lost just once at home and that impressive record only briefly looked in doubt last night.

Phantoms are at former coach Slava Koulikov’s Sheffield Steeldogs next Saturday (7pm face-off) before entertaining local rivals MK Lightning on Sunday (5.30pm).

Leading scorers Cam Hough and Luke Ferrara both helped themselves to a pair of goals apiece in the Sunday win, while Ralfs Circenis also found the net.

It didn’t get off to the best of starts though as the Seahawks took the lead with just over five minutes played. Jordan Stallard was a thorn in Phantoms’ side across the weekend and he opened the scoring at Planet Ice on five minutes.

But it didn’t take Phantoms long to get level, as Luke Ferrara took a clever drop pass from Janne Laakkonen to find a way past Dmitri Zimozdra with 9:29 on the clock.

Hayden Lavigne was called into action to make a big point blank save on a shot from Johnny Corneil, but the third goal of the game didn’t come until almost mid-way through the second period. Ferrara was again the scorer after accepting a fine pass from Janne Laakkonen, and Hough opened his account a couple of minutes later following good work from Jasper Foster.

Phantoms took that 3-1 lead into the final session and within seven seconds of the re-start Circenis finished well for 4-1 after being played through by Richard Hartmann.

Phantoms also defended well when they had to, typified by Nojus Venskutonis, who raced back to deny Owen Bruton a shot on the breakaway. His efforts were reinforced by Hough, who threw himself in the way of a huge Emil Svec slapshot.

But the Seahawks did strike again and it was Stallard once more. When Svec took aim again from the blue line, his shot was kicked out by Lavigne and fell kindly for Stallard to smash home the rebound in the 47th minute.

Phantoms man-of-the-match Hough had the final scoring word in the final minute steering the puck into an empty after help from Foster and Laakkonen.

In Hull the hosts also went ahead early through Dean Jones. Brad Bowering levelled for Phantoms midway through the first period and that’s how it stayed until time was called with city netminder Hayden Lavigne making a couple of fine stops along the way.

Laakkonen had a chance to shoot Phantoms in front soon after the re-start, but instead Seahawks struck first with a Noah Kääriäinen goal on 23.08. Again Phantoms hit back with Hough netting after some interplay with Ferrara on 36.18.

The home side looked to have sealed victory when moving 4-2 in front in the final period with goals from Bobby Chamberlain and Stallard, but Circenis and

Corey McEwen replied – the latter with just 47 seconds left and after Lavigne had been sacrificed for an extra outfield skater – to force overtime.

Hough had a chance to win it in sudden death overtime, but he shot wide leaving Stallard to strike the winner for the Seahawks.