The Peterborough Phantoms suffered their first defeat of the 2024 British Para Ice Hockey League on Sunday evening, when they were defeated 3-1 in Sheffield.
The Phantoms travelled to the Steel City missing just backup netminder Davina Hall, as they looked to extend their unbeaten run in this years campaign.
The game was a rough and tough affair, with neither team holding back with their body crunching hits. The tone was set after just 47 seconds when Phantoms played the puck down the boards and into the corner. Phantoms Jamie Hutchcraft and Steelkings Paul Brown both skated for the puck at full speed, before meeting with a big check on the boards, which left Hutchraft without his helmet, although he did have the puck !
The Steelkings looked to have a tactic of trying to bully the Phantoms, but the Phantoms just kept smiling after every hit and continued to ride out the storm in the opening minutes.
Steelkings were lucky on 4.27 when Hutchcraft picked the pocket of a Steelkings winger on the blueline but saw his shot from distance go just wide.
Kings answered on the next play when Giz Lee in the Phantoms net was called into action to bat away a long shot, which bounced off the Phantoms crossbar and away to safety.
Phantoms nearly took the lead on 5.47. Defenceman Gary Farmer broke free and with 3 Steelkings chasing it was Paul Brown with the last minute hit in Farmer just as the Phantoms top scorer was about to take his shot.
Phantoms were rolling their forward lines and youngster D-Jay Hall setup Farmer for a chance on 7.22, with Farmer forcing a good save from Matt Davies in the Kings goal.
The Kings netted the opening goal on 7.39 when a miscommunication in the Neutral zone allowed the Kings to break through the Phantoms defence. John “JP” Plummer saw his initial shot saved by Lee in the Phantoms goal, but the puck fell to Dan Clarke who fired the puck into the net to make it 1-0 to the Steelkings.
Phantoms kept fighting, but the Steelkings were containing the visitors to the neutral zone. Whenever the Steelkings did break through they were met with a Phantoms wall as the players put themselves in the shooting lanes to block the Steelkings shots.
Kings doubled their lead on 12.30 with a close range shot that went over the Phantoms netty.
Phantoms started the second period the stronger as they looked to score their first goal of the game.
On 16.47 Gary Farmer went on one of his coast to coast runs and as he broke down the wing Phantoms Callum Shakespeare gave his support down the centre of the ice. Through on goal, Farmer took the shot, which hit the Kings netminders pads and was hastily covered.
Phantoms maintained the pressure and on 20.36 Jamie Hutchcraft forced another good save from Davies in the Kings goal, with a shot from just inside the blueline.
The Phantoms were now peppering the Kings goal, either shooting from distance, or if they had players off-side they were firing the puck high to the backboards, to allow the Phantoms to re-enter the zone at speed and keep the action around the Kings goal.
Farmer finally found the back of the Kings net on 22.03 with a shot that flew over the sprawling Kings netty and had been coming all period.
Phantoms celebrations were short lived as the Kings took a 3-1 lead on 25.14 when another 2v1 break saw Connor Grocock race down the wing with the puck. “JP” skated down the centre and managed to just get in front of thhe Phantoms defender to tip Grococks cross ice pass past the Phantoms netminder.
The final period was end to end stuff as the Phantoms looked to get themselves back in the game, whilst the Steelkings looked to extend their lead.
Phantoms took a rare penalty on 36.23 then Callum Shakespeare got tangled up with a Steelking on his blueline, and was eventually called for Holding.
Phantoms attacked on the penalty kill with Stacey Quirk leading the attack as Hutchcraft and Farmer fed the pucks up from the defensive zone.
On 40 minutes Farmer and Shakespeare broke clear down the ice once again but Farmers shot from out wide was saved with Shakespeare unmarked in the slot.
Steelkings had to play out a 4 minutes penaltykill when on 40.44 “JP” and Phantoms Ali Amini became tangled in front of the timekeepers box. The Steelking was called for 2 minutes Interference and then a further 2 minute roughing call.
Despite having the bulk of the possession, the Phantoms attacks were thwarted and at the final buzzer it was the home team who claimed the points.
Man of the Match for the Phantoms was Giz Lee in the Phantoms goal.
Phantoms now have 2 weeks off, before they travel to Cardiff on the 20th July to face the Huskies.