A potentially very difficult away game at Bracknell was made to look like a training scrimmage by a very ruthless big-ice performance from Phantoms who ran out 6-2 winners tonight.
Playing a high and very energetic forecheck, Bees simply couldn’t get their heads up to move the puck forward while Phantoms moved the puck around with such ease and confidence that they must have looked like the home side to any newcomer.
Will Weldon opened the scoring by tipping in Tom Norton’s blue-liner and Owen Griffiths crashed home a second to secure a well deserved early lead. Leigh Jamieson then grabbed what was already looking like an insurance marker before the first buzzer had sounded.
Period two saw Bees trying to up the tempo but most of their energy was spent chasing shadows as Phantoms continued to enjoy the freedom of the big-ice. Tom Norton crashed home a fourth goal late in the period before Bees frustration saw player-coach Scott Spearing thrown out on a 5+Game for a check to the head on Nathan Pollard who thankfully got up and continued after treatment on the ice. With a five minute powerplay in their favour, Nathan Salem fired home a fifth goal just before the second buzzer.
Not surprisingly, Phantoms eased off in the final period and a sixth goal from Glenn Billing probably caused them to switch off a little too much as Bees grabbed two very late consolation goals to rob the impressive Euan King of his shut-out for the second game running.
Phantoms MOM went to Will Weldon.
A good night for Phantoms was very nearly a fantastic night as London Raiders held a 1-0 advantage against title rivals Basingstoke Bison until late in the game when Bison grabbed two vital goals to snatch the points at the death. The title race now moves on to next weekend when both sides face tough games with Phantoms fans praying that Bison drop something against Swindon (H) or Bracknell (A) to give them a chance of taking the title in the showdown between the two title rivals the following weekend.
Game Stats HERE