Peterborough Phantoms will head into a new National League season on the back of four straight defeats
Peterborough Phantoms will start their National League campaign on the back of four straight pre-season defeats.
The city side went down twice to local rivals MK Lightning over the weekend, 5-4 on the road and then 8-5 at Planet Ice. Phantoms did take the first game into overtime, but it’s hardly the ideal preparation for a trip to reigning league champions Swindon Wildcats in their opening competitive fixture on Saturday (September 19).
Phantoms then host Basingstoke on Sunday (5.30pm face off) when they will hope for better fortune at Planet Ice. MK won in the city on Sunday after scoring three times in the final 10 minutes of what had been an evenly contested encounter.
Phantoms had started the better with Dom Gabaj and Dillon Lawrence, two former MK players, shooting them into a 2-0 lead, but the visitors had levelled before the end of the first period with goals from David Thomson and Danny Weight.
The back-and-forth nature of the game continued into the second period as MK steamed into a 4-2 lead through Toms Rutkis and Weight, but Phantoms knuckled down, helped by a five-minute powerplay. Gaboj netted his second goal and then teed up Luke Ferrara for an equalising goal. Lawrence then grabbed his second goal to give Phantoms a 5-4 lead going into the final period.
MK equalised through Sean Norris early in the session and then pulled away late on with goals from Jarred Knight, Ed Knaggs and Kell Beattie. It was a flattering final scoreline as good netminding prevented Phantoms getting on the scoresheet again.
On Saturday Beattie struck after 45 seconds of the powerplay to seal the initial MK success. Phantoms had started overtime a man light after a penalty call on Louie Kynaston late in regular time.
Phantoms had also started brightly in this game with Ferrara and Gabaj scoring in a first period that ended 2-1 to the visitors. It was 4-3 after the second session with Adam Berg claiming an unassisted goal for Phantoms before Brad Bowering struck.
But Phantoms again went scoreless in the final period. Carter Hamill equalised for MK in the 47th minute before the game was won in overtime.
New netminder Matt Hennessey was named Phantoms man of the match after making 45 saves. Gabaj took the honours the following night.