The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Another frustrating night as Bison win on penalties
Phantoms finished 2018 with a share of the NIHL Division One South leadership – despite a second successive night of frustration.
The city team were pipped 3-2 on Sunday by Basingstoke following sudden-death penalties.
Phantoms twice lost the lead and had to settle for a single point even though head coach Slava Koulikov claimed hissidewere‘waybetter’than the visiting Bison.
They were ultimately undone by Basingstoke import Michal Klejna who tucked away all three of the away side’s successful penalties (rules now allow a player to take more than one penalty once a shoot-out has reached sudden-death).
The setback came 24 hours after Phantoms suffered a 3-2 loss at Swindon following a last-minute goal.
Ales Padelek was perfectly placed to tap in an early Phantoms opener against Bison after Glenn Billing’s effort found him at the back door.
Only a wonder save denied Martins Susters a second goal before they were pegged back in unfortunate fashion. A George Norcliffe shot was saved by netminder Jordan Marr only for the loose puck to go in off the skate of Corey McEwen.
But the Phantoms frontman made amends when restoring the lead at the right end just 23 seconds later after being picked out by a fine Susters pass.
Phantoms saw their advantage wiped out for a second time in the second period when Klejna got the faintest of touches to a Norcliffe shot from out wide with Marr left unsighted.
Phantoms gained the upper hand for much of the final session without turning their dominance into goals.
The contest was eventually settled on penalties with each side only managing to put away one of their opening three attempts.
Klejna and Padelek were the men to oblige while Susters and Petr Stepanek (Phantoms) and player-coach Ashley Tait and Adam Harding (Basingstoke) couldn’t find the twine.
Bison again turned to Klejna in sudden-death as he tucked the puck away twice more. Glenn Billing successfully replied on the first occasion but Padelek couldn’t find the net again after stepping up a second time.