A semi-final to savour against Telford three years ago

In case Phantoms need a pick-me-up ahead of the NIHL Final Four in Coventry – we provide a flashback to their famous play-off semi-final win against Telford at the same venue in 2015 . . .

Money can buy you most things in life . . . but clearly not a place in the English Premier League Play-Offs Grand Final.

That was the opening paragraph of the Peterborough Telegraph’s report on a wonderful Phantoms success – arguably their finest one-off performance since the terrific treble season of 2009.

Few gave Phantoms a prayer against the expensively assembled Telford doublewinners, but they were simply outstanding to a man to record a success that set them on the way to ending their own sixyear trophy drought when lifting the crown by beating Manchester in the final 24 hours later.

Player-coach Slava Koulikov handed Phantoms the perfect start when firing them ahead inside the opening two minutes, but a controversial powerplay leveller from Max Birbraer pegged them back.

But Phantoms responded superbly to hit the front again with two seconds to spare be fore the buzzer with a powerplay strike of their own as Luke Ferrara blasted in off the underside of the bar.

Phantoms forward Edgars Bebris received his marching orders little more than 90 seconds after the resumption after bloodying Telford man Nathan Salem with what was adjudged to have been a high stick, but it did little to affect Phantoms as Darius Pliskauskas delivered a picture-book third goal just after the halfway point.

A final-period onslaught from Telford was predictable and the concession of an early goal to Rick Plant was certainly a blow to Phantoms.

But Phantoms soaked up all the top dogs could throw at them as bodies were put on the line in front of magnificent netminder Janis Auzins who delivered his trademark exceptional display. Frequently he plucked fierce shots from the air and as Telford’s frustration grew, the killer blow arrived. Pliskauskas was played in on the break, sat Telford netminder Thomas Murdy on his backside and slotted into the empty net to complete a memorable triumph.

It is unlikely there is such a financial gulf between Phantoms and Telford these days, but the city side will be happy if everything else stays the same in their latest semi-final showdown.

Phantoms celebrate their semi-final success over Telford in 2015.