The WALDECK Peterborough Phantoms were the victors in a high scoring game against the Berkshire Bees, as attentions now turn to playoff hockey!
Phantoms went close to the opener inside the opening two minutes when Jasper Foster rang in the inside of the goalpost, before Tom Norton saw a blue line effort saved.
It was the away side who took the lead when Bees’ Player Coach Dominik Gabaj capitalised on a stray pass from behind the net from Luke Clark, to beat the Phantoms’ goalie at his near post.
But Phantoms weren’t behind for long and it was the hard work of Nathan Salem which put them on the board, as Phantoms’ #91 ripped his shot into the far corner of Dean Skinns’ net from the right circle.
Phantoms hit the front just 14 seconds later when Joe Gretton found the time and space in the right circle to beat Skinns at his near post, squeezing the shot into the top corner.
The Berkshire Bees hit back with just over eight minutes played, though, as Adam Erskine threw a shot through traffic and beyond Clark.
Richard Hartmann almost put Phantoms back in front, but his breakaway shot was denied by the experienced Skinns.
And the Bees took the lead again with another Clark will want back as this time, Ty Cathcart threw one on net from the blue line. Clark got a big piece of it, but diverted it into the net.
The next goal came on 14 minutes and it was the Phantoms who scored it, as Duncan Speirs capitalised on good work from Salem behind the goal to receive the pass out in front and one time it beyond the diving effort of Skinns.
But the Bees took the lead into the first intermission as Liam Morris threw one at net from the blue line and found the far corner of Clark’s net.
Phantoms went close to scoring in the opening seconds of the second period, but the shot was missed on the back post. And on the next attack, the Bees made it five, as Gabaj’s pass deflected off the stick of Brad Bowering, and into the net.
Luke Ferrara put Phantoms’ fourth on the board with his 43rd goal and 91st point of the season, ripping home after good play by Cam Hough behind the goal.
And that sparked Phantoms’ top line into life, as on the same shift, Ferrara found Hough advancing down the left wing and the Canadian forward rifled home the equaliser.
The turnaround was complete when Ferrara blasted a big slap shot through the five hole of Skinns for a Phantoms powerplay goal.
Hough added his second and Phantoms’ seventh of the night when he and Hartmann broke 2-on-1 and after Hartmann’s shot was saved, Hough tapped it into the empty net.
Phantoms had an eighth when Austin Mitchell-King set up Salem for his second of the night.
And their ninth saw the puck return to the Phantoms’ bench as Nick Martin picked up his first goal for the senior Peterborough Phantoms team, ripping home after a nice feed by Connor Glossop.
The Bees stopped the Phantoms’ scoring streak in the final minute of the second period when Will Stead tipped Marcus Mitchell’s blue line effort beyond Clark.
Jarvis Hunt grabbed Phantoms’ tenth goal with a goal of his own doing, after he won the puck back behind the net and skated it out in front, before shovelling his shot in on the backhand.
But the Bees hit back 21 second later, when Josh Smith found space out in front to beat Clark through the five hole.
Salem completed his hat-trick with the easiest of his three goals, tapping home from close range after a longer range shot was blocked out in front.
Speirs made it twelve with a Phantoms powerplay goal, as the Scottish forward ripped home through the crowd from the blue line.
FINAL SCORE: Peterborough Phantoms 12-7 Berkshire Bees