FINAL SCORE : Phantoms 1 Bison 3
By Nigel Simmonds
Refs : Mr Belfitt & Mr Hewitt
Lino’s : Mr Kowal & Mr Walker
With Bison losing the previous evening to the Phantoms, it left them needing to win this game, to keep any chances still alive.
On Easter Sunday, your GalxC Cooling Services sponsored Basingstoke Bison, travelled to Cambridgeshire, to face the Phantoms again.
The Bison, still missing Adam Jones & Adam Harding, were joined by Ollie Stone, Ryan Sutton.. and just before face off, Brendan Baird, was a non-starter too.
Jordan Marr & Alex Mettam both starting between the pipes, for their respective teams.
The game was only a minute old, when Bison picked up the first penalty of the game. Alex Roberts picking up a Cross-Checking penalty (1.01). Phantoms set about opening the scoring, but for all the pressure, they couldn’t beat Alex Mettam and the Bison returned to full strength.
Soon after Roberts returned to the ice, he was away up ice, just as he was about to shoot, he was literally jumped on, by Duncan Speirs, it was like Roberts had a backpack..
Can’t believe a penalty shot wasn’t forthcoming, as Mr Hewitt decided, that a Holding call was adequate enough (3.20). Bison created a good chance, when George Norcliffe got through, but he couldn’t get beat Marr, through his five-hole & Phantoms killed the penalty successfully.
Phantoms continued to pressure the Bison net, but Mettam was equal to all thrown at him, especially when a poor break down in communication in the Bison defence, allowed Speirs to skate in all alone, but his shot was well saved by Mettam again.
There’s been an animosity between the teams, that has been there most of the season, when these teams play each other. One guy that’s usually in the middle of it, is Nathan Salem, who likes to push the boundaries on occasions.
He picked up a penalty (15.51), as he completed a hit on the boards, but had led with his elbow, so was penalised. Again, the Bison PP unit tried to find a way past Marr, but like Mettam, he was seeing the puck well and was equal to all thrown at him.
Nearing the end of the period and Bison would pick up another penalty. This time, Alex Sampford tried to clear the zone, but his attempt cleared the plexi and he was handed a Delay of Game penalty (18.54). Bison saw out the remaining time of the period and at the first interval, the teams went into their changing rooms scoreless. Shots on Goal were, a lowly 8 on Marr, but Mettam faced a whopping 19 shots.
Phantoms started the 2nd period on the powerplay, with 54 secs still remaining on Sampford’s penalty.
Bison dug in and managed to kill the penalty and returned to full strength. A couple of minutes later and Bison would get another chance on the powerplay. Phantoms youngster Thomas Barry, picking up a Holding call (22.33), but once again, the Bison just couldn’t create a good scoring opportunity and the Phantoms saw off the penalty.
Into the second half of the period now and it would be Alex Sampford picking up another penalty. This time, it was a Hooking call (33.43).
But, as before and much like the Bison, the Phantoms were finding it very difficult, to beat the opponents netminder. The Bison Penalty Killers, were working extremely hard to clear the zone successfully, every time the Phantoms came a calling. Again, they killed the penalty, but as soon as that ended, Jay King copied Sampford and flipped the puck over the plexi, whilst trying to clear the zone, resulting in another Delay of Game penalty (36.10).
Bison started the kill well, but as the penalty wore on, Phantoms upped the pressure and they finally found a way past Mettam…. or so we thought. Mr Belfitt signalled a goal and the light had gone on, but Mettam & the Bison players were adamant, that the goal shouldn’t stand, because they felt, the goal was off it’s moorings, when the puck entered the net.
After long deliberations between the officials on the ice & also Mr Hewitt, calling the goal judge over to the side, for a word, a decision was forthcoming… the goal would stand, much to the annoyance of the Bison bench. Petr Stepanek credited with the goal (37.54) and Nathan Salem & Calum Buglass, picking up assists.
Bison would have to live with the decision, no matter how aggreived they felt. This probably added to the intensity of the game and soon after a Bison attempt on Marr, which he hadn’t fully covered the puck, Alex Roberts & Tom Norton both exchanged Cross Checks, behind the goal and both were called (38.52).
Both teams ended the period a player less and at the buzzer, Peterborough went in, with a slender one goal lead. Marr faced 12 shots, while Mettam faced 15 shots.
Into the 3rd period now and it was still 4-on-4 hockey, for the remaining 52 secs of the penalties to Roberts & Norton. Both teams would return to full strength soon after.
Phantoms Joe Gretton, would pick up a Slashing call (42.55), giving the Bison PP unit another good chance, to finally break Marr’s potential shut out. Zack Milton, Alex Roberts and Ashley Tait, were moving the puck around well. Tait set up Roberts, but his shot hit the Phantoms Player, but the play was still alive. Roberts finding Milton around the boards and with a quick lay off, the puck came to Tait and he blasted a point shot, that finally beat Marr, rippling the net, for the powerplay goal (43.56). The travelling Bison fans screamed their delight and celebrated the goal, like the bench did.
Soon after, Liam Morris & Salem clashed again, with both players exchanging a couple of punches, thus picking up Roughing minors (44.25). Both teams now level, neither wanted to make a mistake, which could cost them, so just clearing their zone was more important at this time.. Both teams successfully killed the penalty and returned to full strength.
Into the last 10mins now and another George Norcliffe attempt managed to draw a penalty, when Phantoms import Ales Padelek, was assessed a Tripping call (53.22).
With some Bison players clearly blowing hard, Tony Redmond conferred with Ash and Bison, called their “Time Out”….
It just gave the guys a brief rest bite, to regain composure, with the powerplay upcoming.
The front 3, of Milton, Roberts & Tait came out again, looking for that all important, go ahead goal. Bison moved the puck around well and it would be these 3 guys that combined again, to put the Bison in front. Milton on the right, finding Tait on the point again, but just as he was going to shoot, he switched the puck quickly to his left where Roberts stood alone. He picked his spot and wristed a fierce shot, that beat Marr, below his glove hand and into the net (54.47), sending the bench and Bison fans into raptures again… Bison were leading, going into the final 5 minutes. It was going to be a case of facing an onslaught, from the Phantoms potent attack.
This wasn’t helped, when Alex Roberts was given an Interference call (56.09). The Bison PK unit came out again, knowing they had to just clear the zone, so to kill the penalty time. Phantoms came hard again and Alex Mettam was very busy, as expected. Thankfully, they held firm and did what they had too, no matter how much pain they were going through, being such an intense, important game. Bison killed the penalty, just as Phantoms had another chance denied by Mettam.
With 1.20 left on the game clock and with the face off in the Bison zone, i expected to see Phantoms use their “Time Out”, but they didn’t.
They did however, pull Marr for the extra attacker & it was now all or nothing for the Phantoms. They won the draw, tried to shoot, but the puck was pinging around, like a pinball, with no clear shot available.
Thankfully, Mettam got possession and played the loose puck to Aidan Doughty, who in turn, managed to get the puck across to Tait and he skated out of the zone, with Phantoms players in real close attendance.
Ash managed to get a good shot away and it scooted up the ice and slid into the gaping open net, to seal the victory, to top a gutsy Bison team performance, much to the delight of the Bison fans/bench alike.
There was still time for a penalty, when Phantoms Luc Johnson, showed his frustrations, as he picked up a Slashing call (59.33).
Bison just kept possession of the puck and killed the remaining time until the final buzzer. Bison had pulled off a sensational victory, in one of the hardest rinks to go to, to get a victory.
This result keeps the Bison’s chances alive, going into the final weekend of the group stages, when we face Swindon Wildcats, Home & Away…
Alex Mettam was named as Bison MoM and quite rightly so, as he faced a whopping 50 shots, conceding just once, whilst Duncan Speirs, picked up the beers, for the Phantoms.
Match Stats:
Phantoms : Stepanek 1+0, Buglass 0+1, Salem 0+1.
Nets : Marr 29/2 (93.10%) Empty Net 1/1
Bison : Tait 2+1, Roberts 1+1, Milton 0+2, Doughty 0+1, Mettam 0+1.
Nets : Mettam 50/1 (98.00%)
Shots on Goal : Phantoms 50 Bison 29
Penalties (PiMs) : Phantoms 16 Bison 14
