The Wendy’s Peterborough Phantoms were beaten by the Sheffield Steeldogs in their opening home game of the 2025/26 NIHL National Playoffs.
The Dogs repeated their opening from Friday night’s game by scoring early in the game, as Liam Steele gained the zone and played it across to Nathan Ripley, who ripped his shot into the net.
But Phantoms hit back at 6:17 when Cam Hough played a give-and-go with Ferrara and once he’d received the return pass, he slid his close range shot beyond Brady Parker and into the net.
Phantoms built up some momentum and had good chances through Dillon Lawrence, Hough and Tom Norton, but all either saw shots saved or narrowly missed the target.
Hough did put Phantoms ahead before the end of the period, though, when he tipped home his second of the game.
But the Steeldogs levelled on the powerplay as Steele lasered a blue line effort into the bottom corner.
Another penalty call saw Bair Gendunov put the Steeldogs ahead as he bundled in from close range.
A third penalty call in the first half of the second period saw Jonathan Phillips redirect a Ripley blue line effort beyond Hayden Lavigne for 4-2 to the visitors.
Ashley Tait’s side got back to within one when Norton’s shot from the right circle squirmed through Parker, allowing Hough to complete his hat-trick with a simple tap in.
Sheffield restored their two goal lead with 37:54 played as Bailey Yates beat Lavigne through the five hole.
Phantoms continued to fall on the wrong side of the decisions as Zaine McKenzie was called for boarding, before Joonas Larinmaa’s second run at Lavigne of the game went unpunished. With the extra man, the Steeldogs scored again as Steele lifted a blue line effort into the top corner.
Lawrence went close with a one timer from the middle of the zone, which Parker was equal to, before Ralfs Circenis and Morgan Clarke-Pizzo broke two-on-one, only for the pass to be cut out by the lone defenceman.
Janne Laakkonen gave Phantoms a faint glimpse of hope with four minutes to play when he found space out in front to snap a shot into the far corner.
But the scoring was completed by former Phantom Ivan Björkly Nördström, who arrived in the right spot at the right time to drill home Sheffield’s seventh of the game.
FINAL SCORE: Peterborough Phantoms 4-7 Sheffield Steeldogs
Phantoms goals:
6:17 (PP 1-1 SS): #29 Cam Hough / #19 Luke Ferrara (EHG)
18:49 (PP 2-1 SS): #29 Cam Hough / #62 Janne Laakkonen / #14 Dillon Lawrence (EHG)
33:00 (PP 3-4 SS): #29 Cam Hough (Hat-Trick) / #14 Dillon Lawrence / #2 Tom Norton (PPG)
56:00 (PP 4-6 SS): #62 Janne Laakkonen / #14 Dillon Lawrence / #19 Luke Ferrara (EHG)
Steeldogs goals:
1:56 (PP 0-1 SS): #29 Nathan Ripley / #3 Liam Steele (EHG)
21:43 (PP 2-2 SS): #3 Liam Steele / #29 Nathan Ripley / #72 Ivan Bjorkly Nördstrom (PPG)
26:39 (PP 2-3 SS): #11 Bair Gendunov / #91 Joonas Larinmaa / #72 Ivan Björkly Nördstrom (PPG)
28:04 (PP 2-4 SS): #20 Jonathan Phillips / #29 Nathan Ripley / #11 Bair Gendunov (PPG)
37:54 (PP 3-5 SS): #46 Bailey Yates / #25 Oliver Knaggs (EHG)
44:24 (PP 3-6 SS): #3 Liam Steele / #72 Ivan Björkly Nördstrom / #37 Kyle Watson (PPG)
58:19 (PP 4-7 SS): #72 Ivan Björkly Nördstrom / #29 Nathan Ripley / #37 Kyle Watson (EHG)
Phantoms man of the match: #25 Billy Thorpe
Steeldogs man of the match: #34 Brady Parker