Invicta Dynamos 3 Peterborough Phantoms 3

PETERBOROUGH Phantoms, the new English National Premier League ice hockey champions, may have taken the Invicta Dynamos’ crown but they could not beat the Gillingham-based side on Sunday.

The Phantoms won the league in their inaugural season the night before when a 17-3 victory against the Telford Wildfoxes meant that Milton Keynes Lightning could not catch them.

The signs looked ominous on Sunday as they were on an high and the Mos were smarting from a 6-0 defeat in the cup against Slough Jets. And the Mos did nothing to quell fears when Canadian forward Duncan Cook beat Matt Van Der Velden after just 36 seconds.

But the team found their reserve of battling spirit and man-of- the-match Duane Ward levelled at 14.32 on a powerplay, assisted by Matt Beveridge and Carl Greenhous.

The only goal of the second period went to the home side, on the powerplay as Sean Clement set up Beveridge. The Mos’ third powerplay goal came at 40.53 when Jake French and Ward combined and Elliott Andrews finished.

It was the Phantoms’ turn to dig deep and they took advantage of some poor Dynamos play to tie the game with a shorthanded goal from Shaun Yardley at 46.32 and a Cook strike at 47.51.

Player coach Phil Chard said: “We’ve never been blown away on our home ice and have tied with the top teams. It was a great performance against the new champions, but in the end we were disappointed to not to win. Effectively one bad shift, when we conceded two goals in a minute, cost us the win.

“Plus I had a breakaway chance, but I’m not a goalscorer. It was a fluke I got myself in that position, but unfortunately for the team I was the wrong guy to be there.”

On Saturday, Van Der Velden was pressured quickly but kept the Jets at bay, with a bit of assistance from the posts, until 11.51 when Marc Long opened the scoring.

Games against these two sides are usually controversial and just 3.44 into the second period David Heath was ejected with a match penalty for spearing after reacting to a high sticking from Stuart Low and a slash from Gregory Hales.

Both Invicta players received minor penalties before Slough converted their first powerplay of the game into a goal through Matt Sirman at 25.25.

After the teams traded powerplays, Sirman bagged his second at 33.08. Then two from Long at 43.48 and 48.16 and one from Norman Pinnington at 48.46 sealed the win.

Slough’s netminder Simon Smith made some excellent saves to keep his first clean-sheet of the cup competition, while Van Der Velden was much the busier of the two facing 53 shots.

Chard said: “It was brutal and the referee lost control of the game. He allowed himself to be intimidated by Warren Rost and his team. It could have been a tough, fair game but it just got dirty, which was a shame for a match that was a nothing game.”

*The Invicta Dynamos have been drawn in a play-off group with Milton Keynes, Slough and Isle of Wight.

Chard said: “I don't expect anyone to get the better on Milton Keynes on their own ice, but what we aim to do is win our home games and steal an away win. You never know what's going to happen in the play-offs.”

The fixtures are: Sat March 15, Milton Keynes (a) 7pm, Sun March 16, Slough (h) 6pm, Sat March 22, Slough (a) 6.15pm, Sun March 23, Milton Keynes (h) 5.15pm, Sat March 29 ,Isle of Wight (a) 5.30pm, Sun March 30, Isle of Wight (h) 5.15pm

Anyone wanting coach travel to Milton Keynes and Isle of Wight can call Barry Stubbs on 07958 535067.