A short-benched Phantoms 2 left it late to overcome the visiting Basingstoke Buffalo at Bretton tonight, a result that moves the team up to 7th in the NIHL2 South table.
With Dan Lane suspended, stand-in Jack Peacock came up big to keep out 15 shots in the first period and give Phantoms a perfect base to take a single goal advantage into the first break courtesy of a Brad Wright goal on 11:42.
Period two was a disjointed affair with the sides sharing six minor calls, four on Phantoms and two on the Buffalo and it was the visitors who profited first with a powerplay marker at 22:17 to tie the game. Less than two minutes later and the Buffalo took the lead courtesy of a Sam Brooks goal but they were unable to take advantage of two further powerplay opportunities and the game was 1-2 at the second break.
Phantoms needed an early goal in the third and it came on the first shift thanks to a Ross Clarke strike but the game started to look precarious for the home side when Connor Hunter, Leon Groom and Conor Pollard all took minor calls in the space of 2:40 just short of the 50 minute mark. Phantoms dug deep on the penalty kill to keep the game tied and then pounced through Conor Pollard at 52:28 to go ahead 3-2.
Buffalo were in no mood to roll over and immediately struck back at 54:09 through Sam Dollin to tie things at 3-3 but Phantoms finished the stronger with Jake Samal grabbing the go-ahead goal at 56:58 and after visiting netminder Aaron Burton was pulled at 59:48, Connor Pollard pounced to score an empty netter with just two seconds left on the clock …… 5-3 Phantoms !
Phantoms 2 are back in action next Sunday when they face the Buffalo again, this time in Basingstoke, face-off 6:15pm.
Game stats HERE