It was the Hull Seahawks who claimed a narrow victory over the Wendy’s Peterborough Phantoms in the final home league game of the regular season.
Phantoms found themselves short benched again, with Nojus Venskutonis, Nic Martin, AJ Herring, Brad Bowering, Alex Rushby, Ryan Bainborough, Callum Buglass, Luke Clark, Corey McEwen, Nathan Salem, Jasper Foster and Liam Oughton-Shaw all absent. Meanwhile, the Seahawks were almost at full strength, with Brock Bartholomew and Bobby Chamberlain not icing.
Hull took the lead early when Jordan Stallard drove hard to the net and saw his shot saved, but Jack Musil was in the right place at the right time to convert the rebound.
And they doubled their advantage with 6:07 on the clock when Emil Svec looked to have played it across the crease for Johnny Corneil to tap in, but the goal was awarded to Svec.
Phantoms pulled one back just after the midway point in the first period when Luke Ferrara threw one on net from the blue line and it took a nick off a stick in front before looping over Aleksanteri Heiskanen’s glove and into the net.
Ashley Tait’s side got back on level terms inside the first two minutes of the second period when Luke Ferrara found Cam Hough on the back post for a tap in, bringing up Hough’s 100th point of the season.
The teams traded chances for the ten minuted which followed, until Josh Hodgkinson took advantage of a goalie screen from Svec to blast home Hull’s third goal from the blue line.
Scott Robson went close to a leveller shortly after, but his low effort was kicked away by Heiskanen.
The third period didn’t contain much action in terms of high quality scoring chances during its first nine minutes, but Louie Kynaston broke the third period deadlock at 49:27 with a ripper into the top corner - bringing up Flynn Massie’s first point for the Wendy’s Peterborough Phantoms.
Hayden Lavigne made a smart stop with his pad after Emil Svec got in on a short breakaway before Tom Norton saw a shot saved at the other end after a well worked Phantoms move.
The Seahawks were given the chance to reinstate their lead when Ralfs Circenis was called for hooking at 53:54 and it took the visiting side just four seconds to find the back of the net as Lee Bonner won the draw back to Svec, who ripped his shot into the bottom corner.
Phantoms pushed hard and got the extra skater on towards the end of the game, but a great stop from Heiskanen to deny Dillon Lawrence and a near miss from Janne Laakkonen late on, ensured that the Seahawks would return to Hull with both points.
FINAL SCORE: Peterborough Phantoms 3-4 Hull Seahawks
Phantoms goals:
10:25 (PP 1-2 HS): #19 Luke Ferrara / #29 Cam Hough / #2 Tom Norton (EHG)
21:53 (PP 2-2 HS): #29 Cam Hough / #19 Luke Ferrara / #62 Janne Laakkonen (EHG)
49:27 (PP 3-3 HS): #8 Louie Kynaston / #92 Barni Sari / #12 Flynn Massie (EHG)
Seahawks goals:
2:29 (PP 0-1 HS): #36 Jack Musil / #43 Jordan Stallard / #74 Lee Bonner (EHG)
6:07 (PP 0-2 HS): #71 Emil Svec / #9 Johnny Corneil / #19 Josh Crawley (EHG)
32:32 (PP 2-3 HS): #73 Josh Hodgkinson / #11 Owen Bruton / #22 Alex Kent (EHG)
53:57 (PP 3-4 HS): #71 Emil Svec / #74 Lee Bonner (PPG)
Phantoms man of the match: #30 Hayden Lavigne
Seahawks man of the match: #41 Aleksanteri Heiskanen