Peterborough Phantoms away win sealed by Stepanek thunderbolt

Petr Stepanek scored the winning goal for Phantoms in Bracknell.

The prolific Czech ace unleashed a trademark thunderbolt to earn a 3-2 success at Bracknell in the NIHL National Division.

Phantoms had twice seen advantages - provided by Glenn Billing goals – wiped out by the hosts before Stepanek settled the issue with three and a half minutes to go.

“I’m really happy with the result and even more so the way all the guys played,” said head coach Slava Koulikov.

Billing made the breakthrough late in the opening period when tucking away an Ales Padelek pass during a powerplay.

Bracknell levelled through Aidan Doughty in the middle session, but Billing restored the Phantoms advantage in the penultimate minute of that period.

Bees import Robin Kovar dragged the hosts back onto level terms again with little more than eight minutes to go.

Phantoms then lost netminder Ryan Bainborough to a groin injury within a minute of that leveller with first-choice Jordan Marr unexpectedly pressed into action.

But top-scorer Stepanek blasted in the decider to earn the points and keep Phantoms in third place ahead of a home date against Basingstoke, who sit fourth, at Planet Ice tonight (November 3, 5.30pm).

MATCH DETAILS

Goals

BRACKNELL

28.25 Doughty ass: Jackson/Kovar

51.48 Kovar (DP) ass: J. Baird/Knaggs

PHANTOMS

16.41 Billing (PP) ass: Padelek/Weldon

38.20 Billing ass: Padelek/J. Ferrara

56.31 Stepanek ass: Weldon/Bowering

Men-of-the-match

BRACKNELL – Ivan Antonov

PHANTOMS – Petr Stepanek