It was a testing start to the weekend for the Wendy’s Peterborough Phantoms, as another slow second period left them chasing the game in the final third.
An early effort from the lively Logan Vande Meerakker set the tone in the first period, with further shots from Tyler Watkins and Eddie Bebris testing Hayden Lavigne. With the Phantoms unsettled, it was Morgan Clarke-Pizzo who sat the visitors’ first and only penalty of the game- heading to the box for hooking at 02:25.
An impressive stick save from Lavigne on a Watkins slapshot initially kept the Wildcats out - but the home side found the net halfway through the powerplay, with Watkins finishing from Vande Meerakker and Tomasz Malasinski.
Some determined backchecking from the Phantoms’ offensive lines kept the Wildcats at bay, with Corey McEwen and Cam Hough both getting down well to block towards the end of the period. As the clock wound down on the first period, Ralfs Circenis sent Dillon Lawrence through on goal. Renny Marr stood tall - maintaining his shutout heading into the second period.
As in Telford last weekend - it was only a couple of minutes into the middle frame that the home side picked up steam. Tyler Plews picked up a pass from Ed Bradley and unleashed from distance - beating Lavigne to double the Wildcats’ advantage.
The Phantoms looked to get a grip on the game a few minutes later, as Cam Hough’s fifth of the season beat Renny Marr low at 27:07. Former Phantom Owen Griffiths looked to test Lavigne in close shortly after the restart, but the Phantoms netminder shut the door once again.
Two fast goals by the Wildcats left the visitors with a mountain to climb, as player-coach Aaron Nell fired hard past Lavigne at 31:30 - followed shortly thereafter by league veteran Chris Jones at 32:26.
Two good pad saves by Lavigne kept out Vande Meerakker and Glenn Billing - but it was Tyler Watkins’ second of the game that closed out the period at 5-1.
Wildcats coach Aaron Nell was fast out of the blocks in the third - with a sharp, tipped effort out front well smothered by Lavigne. Malasinski drove inside from the resulting faceoff, circling the net and firing high - with Lavigne catching well.
As Watkins sat the Wildcats’ only penalty of the game - a tripping call at 48:27 - it was Ferrara whose effort went closest to reducing the deficit - forcing a save from Marr with a long-distance effort.
As the game came to a close - Josh Shaw saw the ice open ahead of him and took advantage - bearing down on goal and winding up in front of Lavigne. A flying save across the paint denying the Wildcats a sixth - with Watkins’ goals bookending the game.
FINAL SCORE: Swindon Wildcats 5-1 Peterborough Phantoms
Wildcats Goals:
03:34 (SW 1-0 PP) #18 Tyler Watkins / #23 Logan Vande Meerakker / #89 Tomasz Malasinski (PPG)
22:54 (SW 2-0 PP) #24 Tyler Plews / #73 Ed Bradley / #71 Eddie Bebris (EHG)
31:30 (SW 3-1 PP) #19 Aaron Nell / #46 Ben O’Connor / #89 Tomasz Malasinski (EHG)
32:26 (SW 4-1 PP) #11 Chris Jones / #71 Eddie Bebris / #14 Dylan Lipsey (EHG)
37:56 (SW 5-1 PP) #18 Tyler Watkins / #72 Glenn Billing (EHG)
Phantoms Goals:
27:07 (SW 2-1 PP) #29 Cam Hough / #45 Callum Buglass (EHG)
Wildcats Man of the Match: #14 Dylan Lipsey
Phantoms Man of the Match: #30 Hayden Lavigne