Winning start for the Peterborough Phantoms

The city team warmed up for the new NIHL Division One South campaign by triumphing 3-2 at Basingstoke in the opening leg of the pre-season Billy Glover Memorial Cup.

All three of their goals arrived in powerplay situations against a Bison outfit which bears virtually no resemblance to that which pipped Phantoms to league and play-off glory last season.

Phantoms made their first numerical advantage count at 10:05 as player-coach Tom Norton put away a cross-zone pass from Will Weldon, but their lead proved to be short-lived as Liam Morris soon had the much-changed hosts on terms.

Phantoms restored their advantage in the final second of the opening session as summer recruit Corey McEwen opened his account.

That’s the way it stayed during a blank second period although Phantoms were indebted to new netminder Jordan Marr for preserving their lead by keeping out a penalty shot from new Bison player-coach Ashley Tait.

Both sides also pinged the pipes during that middle stanza with Tom Ralph the unlucky Basingstoke man as they had an early five-on-three powerplay before returning Phantoms import Petr Stepanek followed suit.

The hosts needed only 41 seconds of the final period to claw their way level for a second time as Ralph struck on a powerplay as Phantoms forward James White sat in the penalty box after being called for tripping.

But Phantoms responded with the decisive goal as Ales Padelek thumped in a powerplay blast at 49:20 to give Slava Koulikov’s men the advantage ahead of the second leg tonight (September 9) at Planet Ice (5.30pm).

MATCH DETAILS

Goals

BASINGSTOKE

13:59 Morris ass: Ralph/Cowley

40:41 Ralph (PP) ass: Cowley/Borwdowski

PHANTOMS

10:05 Norton (PP) ass: Weldon/J. Ferrara

20:00 McEwen (PP) ass: Padelek/Weldon

49:20 Padelek (PP) ass: J. Ferrara/Norton