The WALDECK Peterborough Phantoms travelled over the border to Dumfries to open the doubleheader against the Solway Sharks.
From face-off, most of the first period consisted of end to end action with, Nathan Salem and Zaine McKenzie firing the puck at former Phantoms’ goalie Jordan Marr. Nolan Gardiner and Mason Alderson returned the favour on the other end of the ice. Duncan Speirs saw through Olivier Arseneau’s plans to fire at Phantoms’ goalie Hayden Lavigne, Speirs blocked Arseneau's shot.
The Sharks made multiple attempts to gain pressure in the Phantoms zone, but the Phantoms weren’t willing to give up. Scott Henderson found his way in front of Lavigne’s net, shot the puck and then rang the ironwork. Soon after Tom Norton made his well-known blue-line shot, Luke Ferrara completed the shot by tipping the puck into Marr’s net and lit the lamp for the Phantoms.
Less than 5 minutes into the second period, Nojus Venskutonis sat below the blue line, he found Jarvis Hunt, allowing him to shelve the puck past Marr. John Dunbar bagged his brace levelling the scoreboard. At 48:52, Gardiner edged the scoreboard in the Sharks’ favour, his teammate Arseneau tried to make chances again, but Norton dispossessed the player.
A few moments later, Salem played the puck in front of Marr forcing a save - Salem then passed to Speirs who finished the play in the open gap of Marr’s net. Former Phantom and Peterborough-born Craig Peacock broke away towards Lavigne, and found Dunbar to complete the play, unlucky for the duo, Lavigne stood on his head, saving the chance.
Jasper Foster fell victim to a Joey Coulter high stick, Foster left the game for treatment and Coulter was punished with a double minor. The Sharks' frustration was compounded when Stuart Kerr received a delay of game penalty.
Following this call, Head Coach Slava Koulikov called a timeout to strategise a plan. Less than a minute later, Norton toyed with the puck tricking Marr and the Sharks’ defence, Norton made a quick pass to Ferrara to secure the game-winning goal. With less than 30 seconds left, Ferrara completed his hat-trick by scoring the Phantoms’ fifth and final goal of the night.
Final Score: Solway Sharks 3-5 Peterborough Phantoms
Man of the Match:
Sharks: #22 John Dunbar
Phantoms: #30 Hayden Lavigne
Sharks Goals:
33:30 (SS 1-2 PP) #22 John Dunbar / #43 Nolan Gardiner / #71 Craig Peacock (EHG)
35:45 (SS 2-2 PP) #22 John Dunbar / #43 Nolan Gardiner / #10 Liam Stenton (EHG)
48:52 (SS 3-2 PP) #43 Nolan Gardiner / #22 John Dunbar / #5 Oliver Arseneau (EHG)
Phantoms Goals:
19:24 (SS 0–1 PP) #19 Luke Ferrara / #2 Thomas Norton / #62 Janne Laakkonen (EHG)
24:23 (SS 0-2 PP) #96 Jarvis Hunt / #4 Nojus Venskutonis / #19 Luke Ferrara (EHG)
51:25 (SS 3-3 PP) #38 Duncan Speirs / #91 Nathan Salem / #24 Austin Mitchell-King (EHG)
58:49 (SS 3-4 PP) #19 Luke Ferrara / #2 Thomas Norton / #38 Duncan Speirs (PPG)
59:34 (SS 3-5 PP) #19 Luke Ferrara / #91 Nathan Salem / #24 Austin Mitchell-King (PPG)