The Peterborough Phantoms Para Ice Hockey Team hosted the Sheffield Steelkings on Saturday afternoon, looking to avenge their recent defeat in the Steel City.
Phantoms were missing defenders Alysha Atkinson and Jamie Hutchcraft, but welcomed back Dan “Giz” Lee in goal, after he missed last weekends trip to Cardiff.
The game was a must win for both sides as the winners would still be in with a chance of winning the 2024 British Para Ice Hockey League Title, whilst the losers would no longer be able to claim the crown.
The game started at a frantic pace as the home side looked to take the early advantage. After just 16 seconds Phantoms Gary Farmer decided to test Matt Davies on the Steelkings net, but his shot from the halfway line went sailing over thhe plexi before landing in the Zamboni garage.
Phantoms first powerplay of the game came just 30 seconds later, when Steelkings Paul Brown saw his attempted clearance from the Kings defensive zone fly over the plexi for a Delay of Game penalty. From the resulting face-off Stacey Quirk found Gary Farmer whose shot found the back of the net to make it 1-0 to the Phantoms.
Phantoms used the early goal to spur them on with Davies being called to make a number of big glove saves as the Phantoms peppered his net.
At the other end of the rink it was Daniel Clarke, Connor Grocock and John “JP” Plummer who were looking dangerous and were causing the Phantoms defence problems. JP had the best of the visitors early chances, using his speed to breakaway only to be denied by Giz Lee in the Phantms goal.
On 9.08 the Steelkings received their first powerplay of the game, when Phantoms Ali Amini got tangeled with a Steelking and was called for Interference.
Jake Oakley won the resulting face-off for the Kings and passed off to Connor Grocock whose low shot through traffice went under the Phantoms netminder and into the goal to tie the game at 1-1.
The visitors then doubled their lead on 11.33 when the Phantoms failed to complete a check on JP on the boards, which allowed the young Steelking to pick out Daniel Clarke in the slot to fire over Giz Lee and make it 1-2.
The one thing the Phantoms have shown time after time this season, is that when they go behind they don’t let their heads drop, they just refocus and go out for the net goal.
Less than a minute after going behind, the Phantoms were level again. Ali Amini fought for the puck and with an inch perfect pass found Gary Farmer who watched as his shot came off Matt Davies’ pads and bobbled in the net to make it 2-2.
The Phantoms could have gone into the break with the lead but with the goal open, D-Jay Hall couldn’t quite connect with Gary Farmers cross ice pass.
Period two started very much like the opening period. With less than a minute played, Steelkings Rachel Paget was called for a Delay of Game penalty after firing the puck out of the rink. Phantoms sent on their powerplay unit and on 16.38 Gary Farmers shot, whilst being hit by two Steelkings, found the back of the net, as Farmer completed a full 360 degree roll across the ice – maybe this could be his new goal celebration!
Both goalies were now being called into action more often as these two evenly matched teams looked to make an advantage.
Paul Brown and Jake Oakley both forced big glove saves from Giz Lee in the Phantoms goal as the Steelkings pushed forward.
Steelkings finally got their reward of an equaliser in 23.08 when Connor Grocock broke through the Phantoms defence and his deft backhand looped over Giz Lee to tie the game at 3 a piece.
Phantoms showed the teamwork that has defined their season at 23.57.
Paul Brown forced a big save from Giz Lee in the Phantoms net and from that the Phantoms broke out and played the puck up the ice. Callum Shakespeare took the puck into the zone before finding Ali Amini. Amini spotted Gary Farmer crashing in on goal and his pass allowed Farmer to fire into the Steelkings net and make it 4-3 on 24.15.
Sean Grocock replaced Matt Davies in the Steelkings net midway through the second period and would find himself just as busy as Davies was, as the game progressed.
Unlike the opening two periods, the final period didn’t start with a penalty and goal !
The Phantoms started the stronger as they looked to extend their lead and Ali Amini, Gary Farmer and Stacey Quirk all forced Sean Grocock to pull of some big saves to keep the Phantoms at bay.
On 34.50 the Steelkings John “JP” Plummer was called on a Holding Stick penalty after getting tied up on the ice with the Phantoms Callum Shakespeare. From the face-off Phantoms Stacey Quirk saw her shot come off both posts and the crossbar before landing at Amini who cooly lifted it over the stranded Sean Grocock to give the Phantoms a 5-3 lead.
The Phantoms knew that the Steelkings would now throw everything they had to stay in the game.
On 36.35 Gary Farmer was called for an Interference penalty and once again Connor Grocock and JP, who had terrorised the Phantoms defence all game, paired up as Grocock found JP to pull the Steelkings back to within one goal.
Phantoms knew they had to keep possession of the puck and slow the game back down for the final 8 minutes. As the Steelkings pushed up, Phantoms kept the possession and pushed to release D-Jay Hall and Ali Amini on the breakaway. Pahtosm Captain, Callum Shakespeare, dropped back into defence, alongside Gary Farmer to give the Phantoms more stability for the clowing few minutes.
As the clock ran down D-Jay Hall came close to finding his first goal for the Phantoms, but there were to be no further goals and at the final buzzer it was the Phantoms who all got to celebrate, taking the points with a 5-4 victory.
Man of the Match went to Sean Grocock for the Steelkings and Callum Shakespeare for the Phantoms.