MATCH REPORT | HOUGH INSPIRES PHANTOMS TO DERBY DAY WIN

A short benched WALDECK Peterborough Phantoms side rose to the occasion and completed an impressive four point weekend by defeating local rivals, Milton Keynes Lightning.

The game started with a bang as Joe Gretton and Ross Venus dropped the gloves with just 2:12 on the clock. Both players sat five minutes for fighting.

MKL took the lead with just over five minutes played when a big rebound popped out to Mack Stewart and the forward ripped his effort into the back of the Phantoms’ net.

Phantoms grew into the game and began to create chances of their own. They almost levelled when Cam Hough flew down the right wing and centred for Austin Mitchell-King, but his backhand effort didn’t find the target.

But Hough did get Phantoms back on level terms with almost ten minutes played when he cut through the right circle and ripped an effort into the top shelf.

And the same player put Slava’s side ahead just a couple of minutes later, by evading a trip by Archie Salisbury, gaining the zone and firing into the top corner of Will Kerlin’s net.

It was turning into a busy period at both ends of the ice and the visitors almost drew level through Harry Gulliver, but Hayden Lavigne made a big glove save to deny him.

But the two teams did go into the intermission all square courtesy of a Venus goal, which trickled through the five hole of Lavigne and into the back of the net.

The second period was only just over a minute old when the next goal went in. Unfortunately for Phantoms, it was former Phantom Martins Susters who notched for the visitors, finding a way to goal amidst a scramble to the side of the net.

Nick Martin went close to a first senior Phantoms goal when he was set up by Janne Laakkonen, but saw his effort parried away to the corner by Kerlin.

Lavigne was then called back into action when Venus got in on the breakaway, but the Phantoms goalie stood firm to deny the former Coventry Blaze forward.

And Phantoms were rewarded for their efforts in the final minute of the period. After Tom Norton saw a powerplay goal waved off, Laakkonen was the recipient of a lovely tic-tac-toe move which saw the Finn tap home on the back post.

The game was finely poised and the sides were level going into the third and final period, with all to play for as both teams chased four point weekends.

Susters went close to a second of the game for MKL when he received a cross zone pass to strike a big one timer, but the shot was well saved by Lavigne.

Norton, Jordan Cownie and Hough then traded scoring chances, before Zaine McKenzie and Mack Stewart dropped the gloves at 53:08.

The game was looking for a hero and that hero was Hough. With Phantoms on a short powerplay, the Canadian forward wheeled around the zone and ripped his hat-trick goal beyond Kerlin.

They had to dig deep in the dying seconds as MKL found the chance to get the extra skater on, but the Phantoms were committed in the defensive zone and ensured there would be no further way through - securing a valuable four point weekend for Slava’s side.