Fourth Time Lucky
After starting the season with numerous fixtures in the diary, having 4 cancelled and then losing the first 3 that were played, the Phantoms were overjoyed to get their first win of 2010, on the road at their favourite away venue, Ice Sheffield. The following match report comes courtesy of the Phantoms coach, Dave Foster, and photos in the gallery from the Phantoms resident snapper Paula.Although the Phantoms took the game to the Ice Tigers from the face-off and had survived a power-play when Mark (#50) had taken a tripping penalty, the first blood went to the Ice Tigers with an even-handed goal against the run of play at 5.03. Salvation wasn’t long in coming when on a power-play Sam (#96) scored the equaliser after a solo effort from the neutral zone at 6.30 after the Ice Tigers were a man short due to a slashing penalty. The third and go-ahead goal for the Phantoms was scored by Sam (#96)at 8.59 ably assisted by Scott
(#12), an even handed goal. Again, the Phantoms had the majority of the play but yet again allowed the Ice Tigers to score an equaliser with an even-handed goal at 12.54. The remainder of the first period was a reasonably quiet affair only punctuated by another Ice Tigers penalty for checking at 18.37. Period score 2 - 2.
Although the phantoms are notorious for going to sleep in the second period we started as we had in the first period with the majority of the play. Patience paid off when Dave (#3) threaded an inch perfect pass from deep in his own defensive zone to Ryan (#90) waiting close to the centre-line. Ryan made no mistake on the subsequent break-away to score the goahead and even-handed goal for the Phantoms at 25.27. The next goal for the Phantoms wasn’t long in coming when Nathan (#69) and Brian (#27) combined to score an evenhanded
goal at 31.03. This was Brian’s first goal for the Phantoms scored on his first outing with the team and ably assisted by Nathan. The Ice Tigers now hit penalty trouble with a tripping penalty at 31.47 and another checking penalty at 34.56. Unfortunately, the Phantoms couldn’t and didn’t capitalise on either occasion. In the closing two minutes of this period Nathan (#69) and Brian (#27) combined yet again to score a cracking even-handed goal at 38.28. This was probably the best goal of the game when Nathan threaded an inch perfect
pass through the crowded slot to Brian who made no mistake at the far post. Period score 3 - 0 to the Phantoms.
The start of the third period was a frenetic affair as the Ice Tigers tried to retrieve something from the game by adopting a strategy of very short shifts with many changes on the fly. Unfortunately for the Ice Tigers the Phantoms spoiled their hoped for party with an evenhanded goal at 41.13. This goal was scored by Brian (#27), his hat-trick for this game, ably assisted by Ryan (#90). Now it was the turn of the Phantoms to hit penalty trouble when
Mark (#66) was awarded a penalty for tripping at 42.50 and Ryan (#90) was awarded a ten minute mis-conduct penalty at 43.17 for shooting the puck after the whistle. Ryan wassomewhat unlucky as the puck actually hit the Ice Tigers netminder on the helmet which the referee couldn’t ignore. Nevertheless, with some fine fore-checking from the forwards and good strong defensive play at the back the Phantoms were rewarded with an un-assisted short-handed goal scored by Sam (#96) at 43.17 just before Mark’s penalty expired. This was
Sam’s hat-trick for this game. Not surprisingly this goal finished any hope of a recovery for the Ice Tigers and the remainder of the period was played out with no more goals to either team and a series of penalties. Mark (#66) for the Phantoms and an Ice Tigers’ player received co-incidental penalties for roughing at 52.40 followed by the Ice Tigers taking a final penalty for checking at 57.33. Period score 2 - 0 to the Phantoms. Man-of-the-match went to Brian Chalmers on his first appearance for the Phantoms.
(N.B. The official game only shows Sam having scored 2 goals the third being credited to Ryan Clark).
Game Stats
by: Peter Coulton
added on: 10 February 2010 at 19:28