Phantoms pumped for the Cup Final

Peterborough Phantoms will channel recent hurt into the first leg of their National League Cup Final against Leeds Knights at Planet Ice on Friday night (7.30pm).

The city side have competed well against the Knights this season, but were humbled on home ice 9-3 by the league leaders earlier this month.

Phantoms bounced back from that disappointment to win an overtime thriller at second-placed MK Lightning last Saturday before seeing off the Bristol Pitbulls at home 24 hours later.

"It was a massive weekend for us after what happened the previous weekend,” Jarvis Hunt, who scored twice against Bristol, told the club’s YouTube channel.

"We were hurt by that disappointment, but we are excited about the chance to play them again in such a big game. It was better to lose that game than the one on Friday.

"We’ve played in a few finals and winning them is always awesome.”

Jasper Foster, who also scored against Bristol, added: “Games like this one are why we play this sport.

"The atmosphere will be brilliant and it will be a physical game which I love.”

Phantoms have met Leeds six times in the National League, winning two and losing four, scoring 22 goals to

the 33 Leeds have managed.

The second leg of the final takes place on Friday, March 24.

An overtime goal from Ales Padelek secured victory for Phantoms at MK after the hosts had levelled the scores at 4-4 five second before the

final hooter.

Lukas Sladkovsky had earlier scored twice for Phantoms with Glenn Billing and Ralfs Circenis also on target.

Duncan Speirs scored the other two goals against Bristol, a match that was in the balance until Jarvis scored

into an empty net in the final monents.

National League standings: 1 LeedsP50 87pts, 2 MKg P50 79pts, 3 Phantoms P50 76pts, 4 Sheffield P50 67pts, 5 Swindon P51 62 pts, 6 Raiders P50 54pts, 7 Telford

P50 39pts, 8 Basingstoke P49 38pts, 9 Bristol P50 32pts, 10 Hull P52 26pts, 11Bees P50 26pts.

Phantoms are at Raiders on Saturday and at home to Sheffield on Sunday (5.30pm).

Can the current Phantoms enjoy celebrations like this team from the recent past? Photo: Tom Scott