MATCH REPORT | HOUGH HAT-TRICK SEES PHANTOMS CONCLUDE PRE-SEASON WITH WIN

The WALDECK Peterborough Phantoms came out on top in a high scoring thriller against the Telford Tigers as they rounded off their 2024/25 pre-season campaign, thanks in part to a hat-trick by Cam Hough.

The first period was one of relatively few chances. Phantoms had the first decent opening, though, as Nathan Salem broke free in search of a goal on his home return, but saw his effort saved by Matthew Bloor in the Tigers’ net.

It was that man again who went close moments later after being found on the back door by Luke Ferrara, but his redirect was saved well.

Scott Robson went close to making it two goals in as many games when he found space in the centre of the zone, but Bloor got enough on his wrist shot to keep it out of the net.

The Tigers took the lead in the final minute of the first period when Thomas Byrne found Zach Yokoyama rushing towards goal, and the import forward found the far bottom corner with a tidy finish.

The second period proved to be the complete opposite as goals and penalties came at regular intervals for both sides.

Vladimir Luka got the first of the period for the Tigers, putting them two ahead with a trademark blast.

Cam Hough put Phantoms on the board with his first goal on home ice, jabbing the puck home from close range between the post and the pad of Bloor.

And the same man leveled the scores at 30:01. When Tigers went close at one end, Phantoms broke the other way and the Canadian forward went bar down on Bloor.

Luke Clark replaced Hayden Lavigne in the Phantoms goal at 30:01.

Phantoms hit the front for the first time in the game when Janne Laakkonen sent Ferrara free, and he finish cooly on a move which was started by goalie Clark.

Joe Gretton was then removed from the game by the officials after a controversial hit at centre ice left Barnabas Sari unable to play any further part in the game. Telford escaped with no penalties and went on a five minute powerplay.

They quickly made the most of the man advantage as Rhodes Mitchell-King tied the game with a slap shot from the left circle.

But Phantoms hit straight back in bizarre fashion, when Callum Buglass threw the puck on net from the neutral zone and it bobbled through the five hole of Bloor and into the back of the net.

Telford continued to work on the man advantage and found the net again when a play from the left wing eventually saw Finley Howells convert from in close.

Phantoms held out for the rest of the Shred Station Penalty Kill with the scores tied at 4-4, before regaining the lead with a powerplay marker of their own. Laakkonen firing home from a tight angle in the right circle after good work by Ferrara, Hough and Tom Norton.

Laakkonen almost made it six for Phantoms in the closing seconds of the period, but his effort was well saved after he was found on the right point by Ferrara.

Telford tied the game once again at 49:53, when Louie Newell waited for the gap to appear behind Luke Clark and when it did appear, he finished well.

Phantoms hit back yet again when Ferrara got the final touch amidst a goalmouth scramble, before Hough scored on the back door after a lovely play by Laakkonen, to complete his hat-trick and secure victory in Phantoms’ final game of the pre-season!