MATCH REPORT | LAST-GASP GOAL SECURES A FOUR-POINT WEEKEND IN DUMFRIES

A determined performance from your Wendy’s Peterborough Phantoms saw them overturn a three-goal deficit and snatch both points in regulation - with less than 10 seconds on the clock - securing a 4-point weekend in Dumfries!

It was another end-to-end start to the game for the Phantoms, with Luke Ferrara and Liam Stenton seeing efforts denied by Calum Hepburn and Hayden Lavigne, respectively.

The home side struck first, however, with one-time-Phantom Torran Anderson redirecting a Connor Henderson effort from the wing at the back post with a little under 3 minutes gone.

An all-too-familiar story for the Phantoms followed, as a second goal quickly followed the Sharks’ first. This time it was import forward Jonathan Yantsis pouncing on a rebound from a long-range Jake Bolton effort for 2-0 at 03:21, triggering a Phantoms timeout.

Things looked to get worse for the Phantoms at 09:24, as Captain Luke Ferrara was sent to the penalty box for high sticks. The Sharks capitalised less than a quarter of the way through the powerplay - with Bolton ripping one high over Lavigne from the far side of the faceoff circle.

A powerplay came and went for the Phantoms - after Kyle Carruth was called for tripping at 10:44. Some good play from the Sharks was matched by some smart goaltending from Lavigne - keeping the deficit at 3.

A flurry of penalties followed some handbags between both top lines. As Ferrara and Bolton sat 2 for roughing, Carruth sat a double minor for high sticks and roughing. The Phantoms capitalised on the first powerplay - with Corey McEwen tapping home a threaded pass from Hough at the back post at 17:50.

An early hooking penalty for Cam Hough saw the Phantoms start the second period a man down. It was a successful penalty kill for the road side, with the closest chance being a shorthanded effort for Ferrara, denied by a top-class pad save from Hepburn.

The Sharks were less than pleased after a tussle behind Lavigne’s goal saw both Callum Boyd and Joe Gretton head to the box on coincidental holding penalties at 24:38.

With the home side unsettled, the Phantoms broke 2v1, Ferrara found an onrushing Hough with a pinpoint pass - allowing the high-scoring Canadian to rocket home at 26:01.

Some further handbags followed at 30:16 - with Scott Robson and Jake Bolton’s aggravation seemingly carrying over from the first game of the weekend. It was Carter Hamill who followed them to the box at 32:33, after a failed attempt to get a Phantom to drop the gloves. Both penalties were well killed by the Sharks.

Kell Beattie was the next Sharks man to the box - sitting for tripping at 35:37. The home side’s penalty kill did not fare as well this time around, with Cam Hough firing McEwen’s set-up pass low past Calum Hepburn for the equaliser at 36:47.

With Robson in the box for tripping at 37:31, the Phantoms held strong. Lavigne was tested by a speculative Michigan attempt late in the period, but got a shoulder up to keep the score tied.

It was a slower start to the third period, with most of the play occurring in the neutral zone. A fantastic stretch save from Lavigne denied Boyd, and a long-range Foster effort was the only chance of note in the opening five minutes.

The Phantoms looked to take it up a notch as the period progressed. A huge block from Scott Robson fired the away side up - with Dillon Lawrence, Luke Ferrara and Morgan Clarke-Pizzo all chipping away at a resolute Sharks defence.

The deadlock was broken with five minutes to go - as defenceman Brad Bowering danced his way through the Sharks, undressing Hepburn and firing home on his backhand at 55:04.

Robson returned to the box shortly thereafter, having proved to be a further thorn in Bolton’s side - coincidental penalties befalling both men at 57:10.