Buckle up and enjoy a thrilling National League ride with Peterborough Phantoms ice hockey team

Tait has shrugged off four pre-season defeats in four games to predict a competitive campaign which starts with a tough trip to reigning league champions Swindon Wildcats on Saturday. Swindon have seen a couple of senior players retire since the end of last season in Sam Bullas and Aaron Neil. Neil will continue to coach the team.

Sunday night’s home opener at Planet Ice (530pm face-off) sees the Phantoms take on Tait’s former side, the Basingstoke Bison. A coaching change and multiple roster moves have occurred down in Hampshire over the summer and they will be another new look team looking to make an early impression in the league.

Tait is coaching a team with seven new signings. They are netminder Matt Hennessey, Riley Bradford, Henry Newell, Adam Berg, Dom Gabaj, Ewan Hill and Frankie Yardley

Tait told the Phantoms media team: “They’re all very different individuals and all bring different elements which is great for me. It’s up to me to learn how to get the best out of them.

“Obviously the pre-season results weren’t what we would have liked, but they were probably down the list of priorities. Getting guys back into game shape and finding cohesiveness and familiarity were a bigger issue for me.

“Week 1 was just like a summer skate. Lack of fitness, bad habits and minimal attention to detail. Week 2 was night and day difference where, in areas, we looked a lot more how I want us to look.

“At Swindon we will need to get our compete level spot on. We have to be willing to win every shift and every situation. As long as that’s there then we will give ourselves a chance to win.

"Basingstoke are another team that’s had a decent amount of change and they’ll have guys looking to prove a point. We need to make sure we’re ready.

“I think it’s going to be an exciting season as every team looks to have improved so the standard’s gone up again. I’m sure we’ll be able to give the fans something to enjoy!”