Team disappointment, but individual joy as the curtain falls on Peterborough Phantoms' season

Phantoms completed a disappointing play-off campaign with back-to-back defeats at the hands of National League champions Swindon Wildcats. The city side finished bottom of their group from which Swindon and Sheffield Steeldogs progressed to Finals Weekend in Coventry. They will be joined by Leeds Knights and Hull Seahawks meaning the top four league finishers will compete for play-off glory.

But Phantoms captain Luke Ferrara was presented with his National League player-of-the-season trophy before the Sunday night 4-1 defeat to Swindon at Planet Ice.

Ferrara has long been regarded as one of the top players in the competition and this season he was the top points scorer with 120 (44 goals, 76 assists) in 54 matches. He was followed in the points charts by clubmate Janne Laakkonen on 110, who contributed a staggering 93 assists. Cam Hough was fourth in this list with 101 points to prove the strength of the star Phantoms’ players.

Hough was the top scorer in the regular National League season with 64, 13 more goals than second-ranked Jake Bricknell of Bristol.

That forward power was largely neutered by Swindon over the weekend. The champions won 2-1 in Wiltshire before their success at Planet Ice the following night.

Back-up netminder Will Bray starred in Swindon after Dillon Lawrence had fired the visitors ahead in the first period following strong work from Barni Sari.

The hosts levelled in the first minute of the second-half through Caden Villegas and won the game in the final period with a goal from Logan Vandemeerakker in the first minute of the final period.

It was more comfortable for Swindon at Planet Ice as Phantoms fell 4-0 down before a very late consolation goal from Zaine Mackenzie who finished off fine play from Jasper Foster and Billy Thorpe.

Ferrara came close early on to celebrating his award, but was denied an excellent save. Laakkonen and Foster were also thwarted by strong goaltending.

Josh Shaw and Reed Sayers struck for the visitors before the first break with Tyler Plews making it 3-0 in the middle session. Chris Jones scored the final Swindon goal just a couple of minutes before Mackenzie struck.