Fresh off the back of becoming the Wendy’s Peterborough Phantoms’ All-Time Top Scorer, Luke Ferrara notched a hat-trick to seal victory over the Solway Sharks.
After a decent opening couple of shifts for the Phantoms, it was the away side who took the lead as Joey Coulter shot through traffic and into the corner of the net at 6:43.
But after Callum Buglass had seen a shot spilled, but trickle just wide, it was Dillon Lawrence who levelled the scores as he got himself into the right place at the right time to dispatch a powerplay goal past Jordan Marr from in close.
The sides continued to trade chances with Lawrence (twice) and Billy Thorpe going close for Phantoms, whilst Carter Hamill pinged the post of Hayden Lavigne’s goal for the away side.
It started to become a battle of the goalies, with Lavigne and Marr both putting on impressive displays in their respective goals. Corey McEwen, Louie Kynaston and Cam Hough were the next to be denied by Marr.
The second period proved costly in some ways for the Phantoms, as Callum Buglass and Jasper Foster both returned to the locker room with injuries.
But they took the lead in the final minute of the second period when Ferrara fired home the first of his goals from the left circle.
The third period was a period littered with penalties for both sides, but the Phantoms penalty kill stood tall to deny the Sharks, including on a full two minute 5-on-3 chance for the away side.
The goalies continued to be the stars of the show as Lavigne saved from Torran Anderson, who took his frustrations out on a Phantoms defenceman with a cross check.
Solway tried to go for it in the final moments, but Ferrara sent a shot into the empty Sharks’ net to put Phantoms two ahead with just over two minutes to play.
That wasn’t the end of the action, as Sharks’ import Jonathan Yantsis was ejected for fighting an unwilling participant.
And on the resulting powerplay, Ferrara sealed his hat-trick on what will be a memorable weekend for the Phantoms captain and his family.
FINAL SCORE: Peterborough Phantoms 4-1 Solway Sharks
Phantoms goals:
9:53 (PP 1-1 SS): #14 Dillon Lawrence / #19 Luke Ferrara / #62 Janne Laakkonen (PPG)
39:17 (PP 2-1 SS): #19 Luke Ferrara / #2 Tom Norton / #29 Cam Hough (PPG)
57:57 (PP 3-1 SS): #19 Luke Ferrara / #62 Janne Laakkonen / #24 Zaine McKenzie (ENG)
59:46 (PP 4-1 SS): #19 Luke Ferrara / #2 Tom Norton / #13 Morgan Clarke-Pizzo (PPG)
Sharks goals:
6:43 (PP 0-1 SS): #63 Joey Coulter / #89 Scott Henderson / #88 Kyle Carruth (EHG)
Phantoms man of the match: #19 Luke Ferrara
Sharks man of the match: #33 Jordan Marr