The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Forward star is full of praise for a ‘special’ team
Ice hockey - Matchwinner points to character of side
Man of the moment Martins Susters has hailed Phantoms as a ‘special’ team.
The forward star produced a brilliant overtime winner as the city side continued their NIHL National Division title challenge with a 4-3 success against Swindon last Sunday.
Susters’ magic ensured Phantoms bounced back from the blow of conceding a late leveller in regulation time to record an 11th consecutive victory.
The hot streak has pulled them to within six points of leaders Telford who they travel to face this Saturday (7pm) in another crucial clash.
“It was a huge feeling to win against Swindon in the way we did,” admitted Susters.
“The run we’ve been on shows what we are – a team which has really bonded and fights for every puck and every point.
“We don’t think about what any other team is doing. We just focus on ourselves and trying to win as many games as possible. It’s been going pretty well lately and hopefully that will continue.
“The way we won the game against Swindon showed our character. We didn’t let our heads go down or give up just because we conceded a goal with two minutes to go.
“That’s not the sort of thing you can dwell on. The game was still on and everyone could see how much we wanted the win.
“Some teams might have lost that game, but we’re not just any team – we’re a special team and that’s why we’ve won 11 in a row!
“We’ll treat the game in Telford just the same as we would if we were playing any other team. We’ll be prepared to battle for the full 60 minutes and do everything we can to get the points.
“It was good on a personal level to be back scoring last weekend after going a few games without a goal.
“I’m really happy with the way things have gone this season and my team-mates have been performing great around me too.
“It’s coming down to the part of the season now, with a cup final, the title and the playoffs, where we need to be at our best.”
Susters’ overtime winner, to follow a double the previous night in Sheffield, was his 30th goal of a prolific season.
He is equal 10th in the NIHL National Division points-scorers list with 31 assists giving him a total of 61.
Veteran Czech star Ales Padelek, who hit a stunning goal against Swindon, is the club’s leading scorer with 67 points – made up of 32 goals and 35 assists – and sits fifth in the individual rankings.
Padelek has scored more goals than any other import in the league, while playercoach Tom Norton’s impressive 17-goal haul is the best of any defenceman in the second tier. Norton struck three times in two games last weekend.