Four first period goals, followed by a solid performance, saw Phantoms begin their 2025/26 NIHL National campaign with a win over the Leeds Knights.
The Knights started the season with a 7-4 home loss to Telford on Saturday night, whilst the Phantoms were facing their only game of the weekend, albeit without the services of Finnish forward, Janne Laakkonen.
Phantoms started strongly and went close when Cam Hough gained the zone and called Sam Gospel into action, but after the save rebounded back into the action, the Knights defence did well to get hold of the puck and clear the zone.
But Ashley Tait’s side weren’t to be denied for long as Luke Ferrara put Phantoms ahead from behind the goal with 5:08 played in the first period.
And with Knights import Liam Peyton sitting a holding penalty, Phantoms doubled their lead. Dillon Lawrence continuing his fine pre-season form into the league campaign with his first competitive goal for the club.
Phantoms’ lead was three inside the opening 15 minutes when Corey McEwen played a nice pass into Hough and the Canadian forward produced a lovely finish to extend the lead further.
But on 16:29, the Knights got themselves on the board, when import defenceman Matt Staudacher tapped home a close range rebound after Hayden Lavigne had made a good initial save on Kieran Brown’s effort.
Lawrence struck again before the first intermission to put Phantoms three ahead once again, when he was found by a smart cross crease pass by McEwen, and one timed his shot into the back of the Knights’ net from a tight angle.
Bizarrely, that was the Phantoms’ scoring done, but it was enough to get them over the line.
They did threaten further goals, though, as Lawrence went within inches of an opening night hat-trick with a ripper which whistled narrowly past the top corner.
The lead was cut back down to two when Staudacher added his second, this time shooting through traffic from the blue line, after Mac Howlett had shot wide on a big chance seconds prior.
And at 32:32, it was a one goal game once again, when Fin Bradon pounced on a short handed chance to find the bottom corner of Lavigne’s net.
Gospel continued to deny Phantoms at the other end as the home side pushed to extend their lead once more. A great pass from Callum Buglass found Lawrence, who sent a smart feed to the back post, but Gospel was there to save in close.
Phantoms thought they had a fifth when Ralfs Circenis rifled home, but it was ruled out by the referee.
The sides traded chances and penalties in the third period, with Phantoms pinging the post on a 6-on-4 penalty kill in the dying seconds, but they held on to put their first two points of the season on the board at the first attempt.
FINAL SCORE: Peterborough Phantoms 4-3 Leeds Knights
Phantoms goals:
5:08 (PP 1-0 LK): #19 Luke Ferrara / #11 Scott Robson / #13 Morgan Clarke-Pizzo (EHG)
6:57 (PP 2-0 LK): #14 Dillon Lawrence / #29 Cam Hough / #19 Luke Ferrara (PPG)
14:38 (PP 3-0 LK): #29 Cam Hough / #71 Corey McEwen / #23 Brad Bowering (EHG)
17:21 (PP 4-1 LK): #14 Dillon Lawrence / #71 Corey McEwen / #19 Luke Ferrara (PPG)
Knights goals:
16:29 (PP 3-1 LK): #55 Matt Staudacher / #12 Kieran Brown / #93 Balint Pakozdi (EHG)
30:18 (PP 4-2 LK): #55 Matt Staudacher / #95 Mac Howlett (EHG)
32:32 (PP 4-3 LK): #33 Fin Bradon (SHG)
Phantoms man of the match: #14 Dillon Lawrence
Knights man of the match: #55 Matt Staudacher