MATCH REPORT | FERRARA HAT TRICK FIRES PHANTOMS INTO THE PLAYOFFS

Luke Ferrara continued his fine form in Bristol, with a hat-trick from the Wendy's Peterborough Phantoms captain sealing a win in overtime - and a spot in the playoffs.

It was a fast start for the visitors, with slick passing from the top line opening the scoring from the first faceoff, with Ferrara converting at 00:27 to give his side an early advantage.

A holding penalty for Billy Thorpe stalled momentum, however, as Jake Bricknell fired home a powerplay equaliser at 10:02.

A couple of breakaway chances forced saves out of Nappier, but it was Cam Hough’s that found the net. After seeing his initial effort kicked out, the free-scoring Canadian reacted quickest to convert his own rebound at 13:47.

The back-and-forth nature of the contest continued, as Calum McGill’s smart set-up pass allowed John Dunbar to level things again within three minutes of the Phantoms’ go-ahead goal.

A wayward clearance then sent Joe Gretton to the box for delay of the game at 22:27, triggering an eventful penalty kill for the visitors. Ferrara chased his own hand pass out of the defensive zone to net shorthanded at 23:09 - only for Bricknell to bag his second powerplay goal of the night less than a minute later at 24:05.

The frenetic pace showed no signs of slowing. Caly Robertson was the next man to the box at 25:10, and with his hooking penalty killed, the Scotsman flew straight out of the box to latch onto a Josh Batch cross-ice pass - threading the needle for Mason Lipsey just eight seconds after returning to full strength.

The Phantoms responded swiftly. Ferrara found Janne Laakkonen to the left of Nappier’s net; a clever dummied pass pushed the netminder out of position, allowing Laakkonen to finish neatly and level the score at four apiece.

A high stick at 37:00 saw Morgan Clarke-Pizzo sent to the box, and Bricknell completed his powerplay hat-trick just thirty seconds later to edge the home side back in front.

With the Phantoms just back to full strength from a second Clarke-Pizzo penalty, it was a worrying moment for an already short-benched side when Cam Hough was assisted from the ice in some discomfort.

A hooking call on Laakkonen further tested the visitors, but brave defending from Tom Norton and Billy Thorpe kept the deficit to one. Lavigne then produced an outstanding stop on Robertson during an odd-man rush to keep his side within reach.

A return to the ice for Hough seemed to lift the Phantoms bench, with a Sam Smith hooking penalty at 50:43 providing the perfect chance to build momentum.

An increasingly familiar rocket from the point from Dillon Lawrence drew the Phantoms level at 50:56, before Hough himself provided a go-ahead goal evenhanded at 52:36.

A frantic final few minutes saw John Dunbar equalise with a few minutes on the clock - sending the game to overtime.

It didn't take long for the Phantoms' top line of Ferrara, Laakkonen and Hough to break the deadlock.

The first shift set Ferrara free down the right side - with the National League's top point scorer firing through Nappier from the hashmarks just fourteen seconds into overtime.

FINAL SCORE: Bristol Pitbulls 6-7 Peterborough Phantoms (OT)

Pitbulls Goals:
10:25 (BP 1-1 PP): #26 Jake Bricknell / #10 John Dunbar / #24 Tanner Butler (PPG)
16:58 (BP 2-2 PP): #10 John Dunbar / #29 Calum McGill / #26 Jake Bricknell (EHG)
24:05 (BP 3-3 PP): #26 Jake Bricknell / #10 John Dunbar / #24 Tanner Butler (PPG)
27:18 (BP 4-3 PP): #91 Mason Lipsey / #92 Caly Robertson / #41 Josh Batch (EHG)
37:30 (BP 5-4 PP): #26 Jake Bricknell / #24 Tanner Butler / #10 John Dunbar (PPG)
​54:47 (BP 6-6 PP): #10 John Dunbar / #29 Calum McGill / #26 Jake Bricknell (EHG)