Hayden Lavigne collected his first competitive shutout for the WALDECK Peterborough Phantoms as they battled to victory in their only game of the weekend.
It was always bound to be a stern test for the Phantoms as they went up against a usually free scoring Steeldogs side, led by imports Walker Sommer and Samuel Tremblay.
But Phantoms had the first good chance of the evening when Jarvis Hunt was sprung on a breakaway, but his backhand effort was kicked away by Dan Crowe in the Steeldogs’ net.
Lavigne was then called into action to make a couple of saves in quick succession - the second of which a blue line effort by Sam Cooper.
Phantoms broke the deadlock on 14:44 when captain Luke Ferrara blasted home a one timer from the left point on the powerplay, leaving Crowe with no chance.
It was an evenly contested game between two good sides and the Steeldogs almost hit back early in the second when a flowing move through the zones resulted in a shot by Elmeri Hällfors, but his effort was well saved by Lavigne.
And Phantoms capitalised on a strong defensive performance from their D and goalie by doubling the lead just after the half way mark, when Duncan Speirs tipped home a powerplay goal for his third goal in as many games.
It got even better at 36:25 when Phantoms won the puck back from Ivan Björkly Nordström and broke quickly up ice, where Ferrara found Cam Hough and Hough found the top corner with a lovely finish.
Steeldogs had a chance to reduce the arrears in the final moments of the second when Tom Norton was sent to the penalty box, but it was the Phantoms who came on strong on the Shred Station Penalty Kill, when Speirs and Austin Mitchell-King broke 2-on-1 and the latter applied a brilliant first time finish to make it 4-0 to Slava’s side.
The third period was about remaining professional, focussed and determined to hold onto what they had, but they continued to pose an offensive threat at the other end too.
Brad Bowering went close with a blue line effort, before Hough saw an effort fly just wide after he broke 2-on-0 with Janne Laakkonen.
The sides traded a few more chances in the closing stages and Lavigne had to deny a Walker Sommer breakaway at the buzzer to seal his shutout, but he kept the puck out to secure the points and the clean sheet.
FINAL SCORE: Peterborough Phantoms 4-0 Sheffield Steeldogs
Phantoms goals:
14:44 (PP 1-0 SS): #19 Luke Ferrara / #45 Callum Buglass / #62 Janne Laakkonen (PPG)
32:06 (PP 2-0 SS): #38 Duncan Speirs / #19 Luke Ferrara / #2 Tom Norton (PPG)
36:25 (PP 3-0 SS): #29 Cam Hough / #19 Luke Ferrara / #62 Janne Laakkonen (EHG)
39:39 (PP 4-0 SS): #24 Austin Mitchell-King / #38 Duncan Speirs / #45 Callum Buglass (SHG)
Phantoms man of the match: #30 Hayden Lavigne
Steeldogs man of the match: #72 Ivan Björkly Nordström