MATCH REPORT | PHANTOMS BATTLE BACK FOR TWO POINTS IN TELFORD

A typically close game in the Jungle saw the Wendy’s Peterborough Phantoms take an extra point in overtime, having come from behind three times in regulation.

It was an end-to-end start to the Phantoms’ trip to Telford, with the home side opening the scoring at 05:55. Tate Shudra held play up behind the net, finding Louie Newell on the doorstep - who made no mistake in shovelling home for 1-0.

The Tigers believed they had extended their lead a few moments later - with a similar effort shovelled past Lavigne, but this one was quickly washed by Mr Wells for goaltender interference.

It was a Luke Ferrara breakaway that sparked the visitors’ equaliser - a quick tic-tac-toe with Dillon Lawrence in the offensive zone triggered a scramble in front of Brad Day, which Ferrara swept home for 1-1.

The home side re-took the lead at 13:27 - with David Thomson hitting Joe Gretton high, setting the puck loose for Eric Henderson to fire past Lavigne.

With time ticking down at the end of period 1 - Janne Laakkonen broke the zone and played a smart drop pass for the onrushing Alex Rushby. His one timer was deflected off of a defenceman - and Brad Day’s pads - before trickling wide.

The Phantoms drew level, once again, at 27:29 - with Ralfs Circenis surging through the neutral zone and dropping the puck for Lawrence. Lawrence threw the puck on net - with the rebound causing a scramble which eventually rewarded Circenis’ initial efforts.

With Krisjanis Fugalis and Luke Ferrara sitting coincidental penalties for holding and roughing respectively - play was evenhanded when Scott McKenzie scored the home side’s third go-ahead-goal of the game. Danny Rose surged down the right side, threading the needle for McKenzie to fire high over Lavigne for 3-2.

Jasper Foster looked to draw his side level soon after - driving the puck down the left side, before wheeling around the net. His set-up pass found Barni Sari on the doorstep - but his effort was into the side netting,

The visitors continued to pile on the pressure - with a bobbled clearance bouncing at Hough’s skates, allowing him to bat the puck out of the air from the hashmarks; with Day lucky to shut his pads in time.

A banked pass from Gretton landed on the tape of Luke Ferrara’s stick - allowing him to send Lawrence through on net. His effort was impeded by a slash from Joe Aston - leaving Lawrence in need of a new stick and Aston in the box at 35:08.

Lawrence didn’t have to wait long for a second chance - with an unconventional standing blocker save from Day landing on his stick, allowing him to fire into a near-empty net at 36:36.

A hit at the boards saw Thomson and Gretton renew their earlier conversation - tying up at the hashmarks, before the officials intervened to neutralise. Gretton, however, was the only player to leave the incident with a penalty, sitting for roughing at 37:28.

With little action on the powerplay, the Phantoms returned to full strength, sending Rushby over the boards to chase a loose puck - his impressive breakaway effort was well kept out by Day to end the middle frame level.

The most notable chance of the third period fell for Patrick Brown - with his wraparound kicked out by Lavigne, with the Phantoms goaltender resetting well to deny the rebound just outside the crease.

As the game entered its final five minutes - the Phantoms looked for their first go-ahead-goal of the game. The puck was wheeled around Day’s net, landing with Hough on the blue line - but his powered effort was into the chest of Day.

Rhodes Mitchell-King was the last to the box - sitting for crosschecking at 56:18 after sending Laakkonen tumbling into Lavigne’s goal.