Phantoms [NIHL2] gave title favourites Oxford City Stars a real scare on their home ice tonight, at one point leading them in the final period before the Stars bounced back to take the points.
The home side got off to a flyer with two goals in a minute at the 6:43 mark and when the returning Clint Herring took an interference call at 9:17, things were not looking good for Phantoms but …… 18 seconds into the penalty kill and Jack Sansby pounced to pull one back shorthanded. Phantoms then silenced the home crowd on 17:56 when, on their third powerplay of the game, Nick Alley scored to tie the game at the first break.
Into the middle period and a tripping call on Conor Pollard gave Stars the opportunity to regain the lead which they took through Dax Hedges at 30:03 but, as in the opening period, a further powerplay after a Kenny Bavin trip backfired when Nick Alley grabbed his second of the game shorthanded at 38:42.
If sharing the spoils at the second break wasn’t quite the position Stars were anticipating then they were certainly rocked back 1:58 into the final period when Clint Herring scored from Kenny Bavin to put Phantoms 3-4 ahead but the goal sparked an immediate response from the home side who scored twice in less than a minute to regain the lead 5-4 with 43:09 on the clock. With Phantoms looking to tie the game late on, Darren Elliott struck the crucial insurance marker for Stars with just 4:37 remaining and the game finished 6-4 in favour of the home side.
Jack Sansby took the beers for Phantoms who are next in action back at Bretton on Sunday 7th October against the Bristol Pitbulls, face-off at 7pm.
Game stats HERE