The WALDECK Peterborough Phantoms welcomed the Leeds Knights into their home barn on Sunday, with hopes to extend their 8-home winning streak.
Determined to start the game strong, Janne Laakkonen and Luke Ferrara linked up to try and score the first goal, Ferrara passed to Scott Robson but he was tied up with a Knights player.
12 minutes into the game, Knights’ Bow Neely and Kieran Brown sat in the penalty box, both for crosschecking, meaning there were five Phantoms against three Knights - Hough capitalised on the double powerplay as he lit the lamp for the Phantoms.
Upset with the Phantoms' lead, Oli Endicott sat two minutes for interference, although no goals were scored, the Phantoms pressured the Knights, but Gospel saved oncoming shots.
The second period became tense and gritty as the Phantoms wanted to extend their lead and the Knights wanted to enter the scoreboard; it was Fin Bradon who became successful for the Knights.
Minutes later Hough found his opportunity as he tapped in a rebound shot. Nathan Salem found himself inspired by Hough’s last goal as less than two minutes later, he shot at Gospel, and the puck bounced off of Neely and into the back of Gospel’s net.
With Salem sitting for holding, Kieran Brown secured the second goal for the Knights. Hough skated to Gospel, went to wind his stick up, but Dylan Hehir committed too hard to his defenceman title as he hooked Hough, the refs provided a penalty shot because of this, and Captain Ferrara made D.Hehir pay when he rang the back door of Gospel’s net.
Placed on the powerplay, Kieran Brown slapshotted a puck into Lavigne’s net, with only one goal being between the two teams, Phantoms called a timeout to strategise a way to win the game.
Austin Mitchell-King was handed a two-minute penalty for holding the stick, the Phantoms didn’t let this deter them from their end goal, as Hough successfully broke away from the Knights, challenging Gospel, but ultimately completing his hatrick.
Despite scoring their fifth goal, the Phantoms’ remained on the penalty kill and Brown found his revenge by scoring a fourth for the Knights. With less than four minutes left, Buesa was expelled from the game as he was handed two minor penalties; this scared the Knights and they called a time-out soon after. They pulled Gospel to provide five Knights players on the ice, but the Phantoms battled hard and gained possession of the puck, once passed to Laakkonen, he guided the puck into the Knights’ empty net.
Final Score: Peterborough Phantoms 6-4 Leeds Knights
Man of the Match:
Phantoms: #30 Hayden Lavigne
Knights: #37 Matt Barron
Phantoms Goals:
14:21 (PP 1-0 LK) #29 Cameron Hough / #19 Luke Ferrara / #2 Thomas Norton (PPG)
27:19 (PP 2-1 LK) #29 Cameron Hough / #62 Janne Laakkonen / #2 Thomas Norton (EHG)
28:38 (PP 3-1 LK) #91 Nathan Salem / #23 Bradley Bowering / #11 Scott Robson (EHG)
48:50 (PP 4-2 LK) #19 Luke Ferrara (PS)
54:15 (PP 5-3 LK) #29 Cameron Hough (Hat-trick) / #19 Luke Ferrara (SHG)
59:43 (PP 6-4 LK) #62 Janne Laakkonen / #96 Jarvis Hunt / #19 Luke Ferrara (EHG)
Knights Goals:
24:57 (PP 1-1 LK) #33 Finley Bradon / #37 Matthew Barron / #22 Kieran Brown (EHG)
47:06 (PP 3-2 LK) #22 Kieran Brown / #73 Matthew Bissonnette / #11 Matthew Haywood (PPG)
50:13 (PP 4-3 LK) #22 Kieran Brown / #73 Matthew Bissonnette / #37 Matthew Barron (PPG)
55:41 (PP 5-4 LK) #22 Kieran Brown / #95 Mac Howlett / #37 Matthew Barron (PPG)