Peterborough Phantoms suffer a double dose of deja vu

The city team were pipped in overtime by Hull Pirates in both pre-season clashes between the rival NIHL National Division sides.

The Humberside men, who also beat Phantoms on sudden-death in the NIHL Grand Final at the end of last season, prevailed 4-3 at Planet Ice on Saturday (September 7) before gaining a 7-6 verdict on their own ice last night (September 8).

They were contrasting games with Phantoms battling back from 3-1 down in Bretton thanks to third-period goals from Corey McEwen and Glenn Billing only to succumb to a Bobby Chamberlain strike in the additional five minutes.

Slava Koulikov’s men then saw two healthy leads wiped out in a feisty return clash on the road which featured two goals apiece from Billing and Conor Pollard - the only new recruit to the treble-winning roster of last season.

His brother, Nathan, also found the net along with captain James Ferrara in a game settled by Pirates player-coach Jason Hewitt.

Phantoms head coach Koulikov said: “We were a bit sluggish for two periods on Saturday before really producing a great fightback in the third period.

“We looked like being the only team who would go on to win, but unfortunately it was Hull who got the goal in overtime.

“It was the other way round last night where we controlled the game ourselves for the first two periods and did a lot of good things.

“But we didn’t manage the game well enough from 6-3 ahead and Hull got the momentum to come back at us in front of their fans.

“We missed a big chance in overtime and 10 seconds later the puck was in our net.

“Overall there were three good periods during the weekend and three where we could have done better.

“But they were two proper games against a strong team and they will certainly have done us good in the build-up to the league season.”

Phantoms were left with an injury concern last night when Robbie Ferrara was forced out of the action during the second period with a facial wound. The defenceman went to hospital in Hull for treatment.

There has been a new face in the club’s defensive corps with Joe Gretton involved in all three pre-season games to date.

The 22 year-old, from Nottingham, has signed for the Phantoms 2 team but has also been given the chance to impress Koulikov.

Phantoms complete their pre-season schedule with back-to-back clashes against Basingstoke in the now annual Billy Glover Memorial Trophy.

They head to Hampshire this Saturday (September 14, 6.30pm) before welcoming the Bison to Planet Ice the following night (September 15, 5.30pm).

SATURDAY MATCH DETAILS

Goals

PHANTOMS

30.38 Long ass: Susters/Stepanek

43.22 McEwen ass: Gretton

52.02 Billing ass: Padelek/J. Ferrara

HULL

3.30 Davies (SH) ass: Fabus

11.29 Hewitt ass: Sislannikovs/Chamberlain

35.42 Fabus ass: Davies/Bonner

63.23 Chamberlain ass: Davies/Hewitt

Men-of-the-match

PHANTOMS – Corey McEwen

HULL – Olegs Sislannikovs

SUNDAY MATCH DETAILS

Goals

HULL

16.45 Bonner (SH) unassisted

19.05 Sislannikovs ass: Hewitt/Chamberlain

34.28 Fisher ass: Hewitt

46.57 Chamberlain ass: Towner/Bonner

51.29 Hewitt ass: Davies/Bonner

57.40 Fisher ass: Chamberlain/Sislannikovs

60.53 Hewitt unassisted

PHANTOMS

9.20 C. Pollard unassisted

13.24 Billing unassisted

24.24 Billing (PP) ass: Padelek

31.11 C. Pollard ass: McEwen

37.09 N. Pollard ass: Clarke/Long

43.18 J. Ferrara (PP) unassisted

Men-of-the-match

HULL – Jordan Fisher

PHANTOMS – Glenn Billing