The late-late show returned to the Wendy’s Peterborough Phantoms’ performance on Sunday night, as they struck three goals in the last five minutes to defeat the Romford Raiders.
It was an end-to-end opening to the game with both sides creating half chances, but nothing to seriously test either goaltender.
That was until Ralfs Circenis was called for slashing and the Raiders capitalised on the man advantage. When Shaun Miller went close, the puck dropped kindly for Austin Osborn to tap the rebound into an empty net.
But their lead lasted just 18 seconds as Corey McEwen grabbed Phantoms’ first of the evening. The final touch may have come off a Raiders player, but Phantoms had an important leveller nonetheless.
The half chances continued to flow and when the bigger openings appeared, both goalies were in good form, as the sides went in even at the first intermission.
Phantoms took their first lead of the evening when Luke Ferrara looked to be in on a breakaway, but passed to Cam Hough, who gave it straight back to the Phantoms captain to fire home the one timer from the angle.
But Sean Easton’s Raiders struck back with 31:27 played as a turnover in the Phantoms defensive zone allowed import forward Adam Laishram to rip in off the post.
And the topsy-turvy game continued as the Raiders hit the front once again. This time, it was Miller on the scoresheet after he reacted quickest to a rebound out in front.
It took Phantoms a while to break through again, with Ceci well on his way to the Raiders man of the match award. But Ferrara did eventually break his resolve when he got in on a breakaway and applied a lovely backhand finish into the top corner.
And that turned out to be the key to the win for the Phantoms as they found themselves ahead just a minute and a half later. This time, it was Jasper Foster on the breakaway, who tucked the puck home one handed. It was a goal which was hotly contested by the home side but, after consultation with the goal judge, the match officials deemed the puck to have crossed the line.
The scoring was rounded off in the closing stages by Dillon Lawrence, who drove hard to the empty net and was tripped. Goal awarded.
FINAL SCORE: Romford Raiders 3-5 Peterborough Phantoms
Phantoms goals:
07:38 (RR 1-1 PP): #71 Corey McEwen / #13 Morgan Clarke-Pizzo (EHG)
26:18 (RR 1-2 PP): #19 Luke Ferrara / #29 Cam Hough (EHG)
54:09 (RR 3-3 PP): #19 Luke Ferrara / #62 Janne Laakkonen / #29 Cam Hough (EHG)
56:35 (RR 3-4 PP): #95 Jasper Foster / #45 Callum Buglass / #30 Hayden Lavigne (EHG)
58:56 (RR 3-5 PP): #14 Dillon Lawrence [Unassisted] (ENG)
Raiders goals:
07:20 (RR 1-0 PP): #77 Austin Osborn / #81 Adam Laishram / #95 Shaun Miller (PPG)
31:27 (RR 2-2 PP): #81 Adam Laishram / #59 Ewan Hill (EHG)
37:48 (RR 3-2 PP): #95 Shaun Miller / #10 Brandon Ayliffe / #67 Jarrett Baker (EHG)
Phantoms man of the match: #19 Luke Ferrara
Raiders man of the match: #33 Cole Ceci