A superb road game performance at Swindon on Friday evening has secured Phantoms an Autumn Cup Final place against the Sheffield Steeldogs.
Wildcats got off to a flying start in front of a huge home crowd and Phantoms were indebted to Jordan Marr and the pipework for keeping Cats at bay but the deadlock was broken on 5:47 when Nell fired across to the open Rutkis who finished to tie the game on aggregate. Despite the setback, Phantoms stepped up to match the home side in an end-to-end encounter and on 15:13 they tied the game on the night when Petr Stepanek picked up a loose puck to beat Renny Marr. With the home side rocked back, Corey McEwen was left wide open in front on 18:11 and the former Swindon player shattered the home fans with a second goal for Phantoms.
Phantoms ran into penalty trouble at the start of the second, including a spell of 3on5 hockey, but the penalty kill unit stood firm to escape and even came close to scoring a shorthander when Ales Padelek’s breakaway 1on1 was saved by Renny Marr. Cory McEwen drew a smart save from the Cats keeper on 28 minutes and Jordan Marr was continuing to stand on his head at the other to set up a superb fast-flowing game but a serious full court press in the last three minutes rewarded the Cats when first Kostal powered home on 37:01 and then Bebris scrambled home at 38:52. Phantoms were not happy with the Bebris goal but referee Matthews consulted his linesmen and stayed with the goal. There was still time for Glenn Billing to bring one back off the Cats crossbar but it was 3-2 at the second break and 6-6 on aggregate.
Both sides looked nervous in the final period with both wary of conceding the next goal. Cats created the better openings but Jordan Marr was seeing the puck well and keeping his side in the game. With just four minutes left on the game, it was Ales Padelek who grabbed the big go-ahead goal when a quick release wristshot from the angle caught Renny Marr off-guard at his near post and it was Phantoms back ahead on aggregate. Cats called a timeout inside the last two minutes and when Martins Susters was called for tripping with 61 seconds to play, it was Phantoms who called a timeout as Cats moved to 6on4 and an empty net. Cats launched the kitchen sink at Phantoms, Jones fired over, Bebris found space in front but the nets were moved off their moorings and the buzzer sounded to secure a 3-3 result on the night and a 7-6 win for Phantoms on aggregate !
Phantoms MOM was Jordan Marr.
They simply don’t come tougher than this one but this Phantoms side can match flare with resilience and discipline and they needed all of those attributes tonight. A superb victory and it will be Sheffield Steeldogs awaiting Phantoms in the final.
Game stats HERE.