Hough hits a hat-trick as patched-up Peterborough Phantoms complete perfect weekend with win over neighbours

A Cam Hough hat-trick helped Phantoms beat their neighbours 4-3. The previous day the city side had won 6-5 at Bristol Pitbulls after a penalty shootout. That’s now three wins in a row for Phantoms who are a creditable fifth in the table, just two points adrift of leaders Leeds Knights, despite a sizeable injury list.

Phantoms v MK is always a fiesty affair and in the third minute there were five-minute fighting penalties for the home side’s Joe Gretton and Ross Venus. The visitors then went in front in the sixth minute through Mack Stewart. Phantoms levelled on 10 minutes through Hough and the Canadian added a second goal just a couple of minutes later.

Phantoms’ netminder Hayden Lavigne made a big save to keep his side in front, but he was beaten just before the first buzzer by a Venus shot that dribbled over the line.

Former Phantom Martins Susters then fired MK in front at the start of the second period, but that was as good as it got for the visitors as a side missing seven regulars dug deep.

Nick Martin went close to a first senior Phantoms goal when he was set up by Janne Laakkonen, but his effort on goal was well saved. Lavigne then stood tall to thwart Venus before Slava Koulikov’s side found an equaliser in the last minute of the second period, and just after a Tom Norton powerplay goal had been disallowed. Laakkonen was the scorer from close range.

The teams went toe-to-toe in the final session. Lavigne made a fine stop to deny Susters and chances came and went at both ends, but with four minutes to go Hough completed his hat-trick and a four-point weekend for Phantoms. Callum Buglass, Zaine Mackenzie, Brad Bowering, Nathan Salem and Norton all claimed assists.

Phantoms had been made to work the hard the previous night when they found themselves 2-0 down early on in Bristol. They rallied to lead 5-3, but then conceded two goals which meant overtime and then a penalty shootout. Bristol had a ‘goal’ disallowed in added time.

Jarvis Hunt made it 2-1 by the end of the first period and Hough equalised at the start of the second stanza. Bristol were soon back in front, but goals from Gretton, man-of-the-match Salem and Hough looked to have given Phantoms a decisive 5-3 advantage with just past halfway.

But Bristol scored twice in two minutes midway through the final period, soon after surviving five minutes of Phantoms powerplay, and they came closest to winning the game in overtime.

Salem was the only shootout scorer for Phantoms, but Lavigne saved the final two Bristol attempts to clinch the win. Salem also contributed three assists.