A short-benched Wendy’s Peterborough Phantoms pushed the Hull Seahawks all the way on the road, trading blows across sixty minutes before falling short in the shootout. Having not gone behind in regulation, the Phantoms battled to the end in their second overtime game of the weekend.
A couple of good breakaway chances for Ralfs Circenis continued to up the ante for the road side, before captain Luke Ferrara broke the deadlock at 04:35 - smartly finishing a Laakkonen set-up into the top shelf.
Lee Bonner then snuck through the Phantoms’ defence and ripped an effort at Lavigne from close range, but the goaltender got his pads down well to deny him.
A fast start to the second period saw the Seahawks equalise at 21:24, with Josh Hodgkinson firing home and sending 420 teddies raining down on the Seahawks’ Air the Bear night.
A couple of good Phantoms breakaways were denied by Zimozdra, before another Hodgkinson blast whistled wide of Lavigne.
Strong defensive shifts from Thorpe and Robson absorbed a spell of home pressure before the Phantoms re-took the lead at 29:58 - this time a Cam Hough effort ripped past Zimozdra.
Lavigne came up big to deny Emil Svec on a determined breakaway, but the Seahawks struck next, with Brock Bartholomew firing home at 34:01.
An impressive move from Hough saw him deke past a stranded defenceman and wind up an angled effort, which was well denied by Zimozdra.
It was the Phantoms that started the next period quickly, with Hough’s second of the game putting them back ahead at 42:25. A big shift from the third line almost extended the lead soon after, but Kynaston’s wraparound was denied by Zimozdra.
Hayden Lavigne was penalised for holding the stick of a Seahawks forward - sending Janne Laakkonen to the box in his place. It proved costly, with Emil Svec firing home an equaliser less than a minute into the powerplay.
A Jamie Chilcott interference penalty put the Phantoms onto a powerplay at 49:22, but with Brad Bowering receiving the same call at 50:11, play returned to even strength. The Phantoms didn’t need the advantage in the end, as Laakkonen jammed home the Phantoms’ fourth go-ahead goal of the game at 50:52.
The tug-of-war persisted, with Bartholomew's long-range effort beating Lavigne just three minutes later at 53:52, levelling the score at 4-4.
With the score tied, the Phantoms headed for their second overtime period of the weekend.
Close efforts for Ferrara and Laakkonen were unlucky not to land, while Hough tested Zimozdra from all over the ice.
Momentum stalled when Ferrara sat a high-sticking penalty with less than two minutes remaining in overtime but they held out for penalties.
FINAL SCORE: Hull Seahawks 5-4 Peterborough Phantoms (SO)