Courtsey of wh4tth3puck.wordpress.com. Photograph of Peterborough Phantoms netminder Stephen Wall courtsey of Dave Steadman.

The last game of the regular season, and the Phantoms local rivals, the MK Lightning came to town.  The 2009/2010 League winners, versus the 2008/2009 League, (EPL Cup and Playoff),  winners. A small measure of controversy before the game even started when it was revealed that the MK were resting all four imports, and bringing in 5 players from the MK Thunder to bulk the lines out.

1st Period

All thoughts that this was a “Nothing game” went out of the window the second the puck dropped with the import-less Lightning on the back foot from the outset. With MK and the Phantoms icing their backup netminders, Alex Mettam was having to start work early as the Phantoms pushed forward. With the lightning defence working sporadically Mettam made some important stops. However, no man can stop a tide and at 14:26 Shaun Yardley, making his 351st appearance in a Phantoms shirt with a goal assisted by Luke Ferarra and James Spurr.
It was clear from MK that their inability, even at this stage, to score against the team they’d been able to beat with ease this season was grating as James McPherson received 2 minutes for roughing on James Morgan, the latter wisely just skating away on this occasion. The Phantoms power play expired and a little over a minute later, Callum Fowler received 2 minutes for hooking just 7 seconds before the end of the period.

2nd Period

As the teams came back out it was still a close game, MK having 1.53 remaining on their power play. However, it was the Phantoms Penalty Kill that had been so dangerous all season that continued to make Mettam earn his pay. As one MK power play fizzled they were given a second bite at the pie. following a heavy Doug MacIver hit that creamed an MK player into the boards, the huge Canadian D man found himself on a 2 minute high sticks call. This time the MK power play seemed to stagger closer to the goal and Damien King made some excellent stops including some dangerous looking one on ones. The Phantoms also ran into a little penalty trouble with first James Morgan receiving 2 minutes for roughing at 26:53 and just over a minute later, Dwayne Newman made an unusual trip to the penalty box for high sticks. With MK on a 5 on 3 it looked almost a foregone conclusion that MK would be able to claw back a goal but it wasn’t to be, first back to 5 on 4 then full strength, the Phantoms saw off the power play. Still, if it wasn’t one it was the other as Leigh Jamieson took 2 minutes for the lightning after being caught hooking. The play pushed back towards the Lightning goal and while they returned to full strength a minute later one of the stand in forwards for MK warning Smulters #20 shirt drew  delayed penalty that resulted in James Spurr neatly burying the puck in the back of the net at 32:12. As play continued back and forth it was clear that MK looked lost and certainly missed having Pool, Zapotek Kalgoum and Smulter on the ice. With just over a minute left in the period, Tom Carlon playing his signature skilled physical game powered through and assisted by the lightning fast Callum Fowler blasted his shot into the MK net leaving the score 3-0 at the end ofthe second.

3rd Period

As the teams came out it was clear that the three unanswered goals had dented MKL’s pride but there was little that MK could do against a fired up Phantoms team, and 3 minutes into the period, a Doug MacIver howitzer of a shot left Alex Mettam shell shocked and the score at 4-0. At the restart the Lightning caught a lucky break with Adam brittle being one of only two MK players to beat the phenomenal Damien King just 15 seconds after the puck was dropped. Less than a minute later and the simmering tension between MacPherson and Morgan boiled over with punched being thrown, even it appeared, after the linesmen had stepped in to separate them. Eventually the two were separated and while the Ref and Linesmen conferred, a light hearted game of puck tennis broke out between the two netminders. Following the scuffle, the penalties were announced, MacPherson received 5 + Game for roughing, while Morgan received 2+2 for roughing, 10 minute personal misconduct, and also 5 + Game for roughing. With both players ejected from the game, Luke Ferarra sat Morgans minors, effectively missing the remainder of the game. From here the game settled and the Phantoms, despite being 1 player down for 4 minutes continued to dominate the game raining shots seemingly at will on Alex Mettam, who belaying his back up netminder status showed significant skill to deny the Phantoms marksmen. It wasn’t to last thought, with just over 5 minutes to go, another of the MK stand ins received 2 minutes for hooking, and the phantoms power play kicked in. After a minute, a Joe Miller shot rebounded kindly for Warren Tait who put away the Phantoms 5th goal of the night, and following a Michael Wales trip, a blue line bullet from Canadian Sniper sent the game to 6-1 at 56:51. MK spent the remaining 3 minutes on the defensive, but for MK, villain turned hero again as Micheal Wales neatly deked King for the MK consolation goal at 58:12. A final roll of the dice by MK with 20 seconds to go was easily deflected by King and Doug MacIver collected the puck and ran down the clock for a 6-2 Phantoms victory.