Peterborough Phantoms steal the Thunder in play-off clash

Peterborough Phantoms took command of their NIHL Division One South play-offs quarter-final last night (March 23).
Young Taylor Romeo scored for Phantoms at MK Thunder.Young Taylor Romeo scored for Phantoms at MK Thunder.
Young Taylor Romeo scored for Phantoms at MK Thunder.

The city team eased to a 7-3 success against Milton Keynes Thunder in a first leg clash in Buckinghamshire.

And sealing progress into the semi-finals should now be a formality for league runners-up Phantoms, who picked up a whopping 41 points more than their second-bottom opponents during the regular season, in the second leg at Planet Ice tonight (March 24, 5.30pm).

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“It was a good performance from the guys to start the play-offs in the right manner,” said Koulikov.

Young Jarvis Hunt scored for Phantoms against MK Thunder.Young Jarvis Hunt scored for Phantoms against MK Thunder.
Young Jarvis Hunt scored for Phantoms against MK Thunder.

“We have put ourselves into a great position and we were good value for the four-goal lead we built up.

“We played really well offensively and it was good to see a couple of the young guys get among the goals.

“There were a lot more positives and negatives and we now need to ensure we play with the same intensity, same desire and same quality in the second leg.”

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An early flurry of goals gave Phantoms the advantage as Martins Susters, Taylor Romeo and Will Weldon all struck in the space of three minutes and 16 seconds during the first period.

James White then added the only goal of the middle session before Jarvis Hunt joined fellow hot prospect Romeo on the scoresheet by lighting the lamp early in the final stanza.

Thunder hit back with a short-handed goal from Trevor Leblanc before the two sides shared four goals in under a minute late on.

Ales Padelek launched that frantic spell before Joe Edwards replied for the hosts. Player-coach Tom Norton then struck a trademark powerplay goal to complete Phantoms’ tally, but Logan Prince hit back only nine seconds later.

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In other first-leg clashes last night champions Swindon thumped basement boys Invicta 11-1, third-placed Basingstoke won 5-2 at sixth-placed Streatham and Bracknell drew 1-1 at Raiders.

MATCH DETAILS

Goals

MILTON KEYNES

47.51 Leblanc (SH)

57.26 Edwards ass: Grinnell-Parke

58.37 Prince

PHANTOMS

8.53 Susters ass: Stepanek

10.35 Romeo ass: Norton

12.09 Weldon (PP) ass: Billing/Padelek

33.52 White ass: Susters

42.22 Hunt ass: Stepanek

56.40 Padelek ass: Norton

58.28 Norton (PP) ass: J. Ferrara

Men-of-the-match

MILTON KEYNES – Joe Edwards

PHANTOMS – Callum Buglass