Say hello to … Cam McGiffin

As we approach the culmination of the 2014-2015 season it is my pleasure to present a Q&A with popular defenceman Cam McGiffin. Cam joined the Phantoms from Slough at the start of the season and has been an integral part of the British D that has served the Phantoms so well this year.

Cam reflects on his first year with the Phantoms, looks forward to the end of season show piece in Coventry, and sheds a little light on his team mates.

I’d like to say thanks to Cam for taking part in this Q&A, and wish him and the team good luck against Telford in the semi-final at Coventry.

Name: Cameron David McGiffin
Age: 18
Position: Defence

Job outside hockey: Peterborough Phantoms hockey schools programme; coach.

Favourite NHL Team & Reason Why: Edmonton Oilers, purely because at the time I first got into hockey they had a pretty good team.

Favourite player and sporting hero:
PK Subban (Montreal Canadiens). He’s both my favourite & my hero, hardworking but willing to put on a show of talent while doing so.

Favourite film and movie star:
Limitless and way too many to name.

Favourite band:
Boyce Avenue. I’m a sucker for a cover!

Where and when did you start playing hockey, and what were the circumstances that led you to joining the Phantoms? 
I started in Swindon, but the opportunity didn’t arise there so I went to NIHL1 side Mk Thunder. That experience led to me being a big part of the South West Conference team, where I was pointed out to Slava, after that I went to Slough to play for him there. I decided to stay the year for experience in the EPL, then I made the deal with him to come and join his team again.

Is there any reason behind your number, #51?
It was my dad’s American football number.

I understand that you are living with a couple of other players in a team house – who are they, and what is it like?  Do they share your love of sushi?
I share with Janis, Eddy & Donny.  It’s a definite experience, we learn quite a lot from each other so that’s great! And they do! Four blokes … any food is good in our house!

What are your hockey aspirations?  
To play at the highest level possible where I’m most efficient, to maintain commitment & consistency. But always have fun!

How do you rate this first season with the Phantoms?  Better than expected?
If you had told me this year would’ve gone this well at the start, I wouldn’t have believed you.

You took a pretty big hit in the second leg against Swindon – how’s the injury coming along, and what is it like to return to the game in a face cage?
It’s not a good feeling but it’s best for me right now, all part of the game I guess.

You said that you didn’t want to go to the Coventry weekend until you got there as a player.  Can you describe what getting to the last four means to you and to this group of players?
It’s everything, it’s that simple – you play all year to have the opportunity to be 6 periods away from a title.

What are you looking forward to most about the Coventry weekend?
Would winning count?

The Phantoms will play Telford in the semi-final, and we have a pretty decent record against them this year.  What’s the feeling in the camp like?
Excitement, really we are looking to have a good game and we’re not backing down from any hype or confidence they bring as a team.

Who do you expect to win in the other semi, MK or Manchester?
That’s a tough one to comment on, pretty evenly matched but both have their strengths, I never predict usually.

And finally – Off the bench

which Phantom/which teammate:

is the best trainer? L Ferrara

is the worst trainer? Lee Elias

is the most skilful? Between 8, 28 & 91

Is the quickest? Milan

Is the slowest? Can’t say!

is the toughest? Greg & Mase haven’t fought to decide that yet!

is the funniest? Anyone can be good on their day!

is the best dressed? Will Weldon

has the worst dress sense? Can’t say.

is the most intelligent? Lee Elias

is the biggest moaner? Levers

the best thing about the Phantoms and the thing you’d change?
The whole atmosphere when you play, and of course, the rink is probably due a refurbishment.

most embarrassing moment as a hockey player?
Way too many … that ice is slippy …

is there anyone you model your style on, or as a player has been a big inspiration to you?
My year in Milton Keynes had me playing with guys such Simon Howard, Greg and Jamie Randall, and of course, Dwayne Newman. That year was very influential for me and I took a lot from all of them, on and off the ice.

which is your favourite rink to play in, and why?
Swindon, where I learnt my trade

who are your favourite EPL opponents?
On the night, whoever we need to beat.

most difficult opponent that you’ve matched up against?
Jiri Hanzal (Telford Tigers, Edinburgh Capitals, Wightlink Raiders), stands out, but there has been many!

which game for the Phantoms has been the most memorable for you so far, and why?
Most recently, beating Swindon to get to Coventry, I’ll never forget it!

And finally …

On the eve of a playoff semi-final appearance what is your message for the Phantoms’ supporters …
Like I said at the very start of the season, the boys believe in what we can do and all need is your support to push us through and. Be ready!

Thanks again to Cam McGiffin; let’s see the Phantoms give their all in Coventry and surprise a few people!

The Peterborough Phantoms can be found online at http://www.gophantoms.co.uk/

You can also follow the club on Twitter at @GoPhantoms 

If you have any comments or observations I’d love to hear from you.  Find me on Twitter at  ‏@phil_smith66  and follow for regular Phantoms updates.

2^nd April 2015

 

Introducing … Alan Lack

I’m really pleased to present the first ‘Introducing …’ piece of the new season, and would like to welcome British forward Alan Lack to the Peterborough Phantoms.

Alan first came to our (or at least my) attention in a pre-season ‘friendly’ against Invicta Dynamos, where he went toe-to-toe with Jaroslav Cesky and Nicky Watt.

Over the season Lack proved to be a worthy adversary, scoring twice for the Jets in a 5-3 victory in Peterborough in November, and again in a miserable 6-2 defeat at the Hangar at the start of February, as the Slough side prevailed in 6 games series.

Lack has a reputation for being physical, and in the battles against Slough we saw a tough competitor, with more to his game than simply picking a fight.

My thanks go out to Alan for taking time out of his busy schedule to complete this Q&A

Name:  Alan Lack, or known to the Phantoms fans as ‘Pixie’!
Age:  21
Position:  Forward

1.   Job outside hockey:
Store Manager – Sweatshop and Personal Trainer

2.  Favourite Hockey Team & Reason Why:
Detroit Red Wings, I like the colour red!

3.  Can you describe your hockey pedigree – where and when did you start the sport, and where have you stopped off on your hockey journey?
I started my hockey career at aged 7 in Bracknell.  This was just a few weeks after watching my first ever ice hockey match.

I played through the junior club, until the Hornets pick me up at 16 years old, and then shortly after, the Bees did the same.  After 12 years in Bracknell, I played a very short period in Invicta then moved, mid-season to the Slough Jets, to join Slava (Koulikov) last season.

I have played in many tournaments and gone on a variety of training camps all over Europe, with both Bracknell and Cardiff.  I captained the (Bracknell) team in an under-18s National Match at Coventry back in 2010.

Now my career has taken to me Peterborough to join you guys; I really want to make a statement and an impact as soon as I hit the ice.

7. You have a reputation as a no-nonsense player who doesn’t shy away from the physical stuff.  How would you describe your game?
I have to agree with you there.  Hockey is a tough sport and renowned for being physical, tough and fast.  I describe my game simply – ‘I am a hound on the ice, which makes me like marmite’.

Some people love me and a lot hate me.  I play physical, fast and tough throughout every game.  I don’t think in my life I have ever played a game where I haven’t wanted to win, or I haven’t put everything I have into  it.  Yes, I have good games and bad games, but doesn’t everyone?

I always make sure I put my heart into playing and work my nuts off every match!

8.  What have been the highlights of your ice hockey career so far?  Which players have you played alongside that have really stood out?
The highlight of my hockey career has to be … skating on to the ice for my first professional men’s match.

Martin Masa really stood out of the crowd for me, a really down to earth player, like myself, and he always helped me out on and off the ice, when I was coming up the ranks.

9.  Readers who follow you on twitter will have seen the gruesome photo of your knee – can you fill us in on the injury/operation and if you’ll be ready for the new season?
The injury occurred last summer, while training in the gym before last season.  I was working on the speed by doing some plyometric work.

I had only just finished doing a couple of photo-shoots and  had to change the muscle I had into functional muscle that I could use on the ice, which involved doing a lot of sprints and jumping.

Pretty much I ripped my patella tendon off my tibia while performing an explosive jump.  The recovery was going well until I felt constant pressure inside my knee and started to struggle with it every day.

This was caused by the bone repairing itself; it started growing into my tendon and causing damage.

As this was only October 2013, I made the decision to carry on through the season.

In the last few weeks of last season I finally decided to go and see a knee specialist, and he said I needed surgery ASAP on my knee to remove the bone from behind and inside my knee.

Right now if everything keeps going the way it is, I will be in better shape than I ever have been.  The progression I am seeing, day in day out, has been amazing. I have been working very closely with my brother who is an RAF physio and sports rehab consultant as well.  I’ve been in the pool couple times a week, the gym every day, rehabilitation work four to five times a day, and cycling every couple of days.

10.  What are your hockey aspirations?
I really want to win the league or a cup, especially this year.

11.  You’ve played under Slava before.  How would you describe his coaching style?
Very professional.  He gets the player/coach role completely right. He is definitely one of the most organised coaches I have played with.  He also tells you what he expects from you straight from the off, which works really well from everyone’s point of view.

12.  Have you got a message for the Phantoms’ fans as we look towards the new season?
I hope you enjoy the new season, with the new team that has been put together.  We are going to be pushing really hard this season, let’s get some sliver wear!  On a personal level I am sure your games will be more exciting to watch now.

Once again, thanks to Alan Lack; we wish him a speedy recovery and hope he’s on the ice in September!  Fans love a player who gives their all; I’ve no doubt that Alan will do just that in Phantoms’ colours.

Game photos used with the permission of the Peterborough Phantoms and Tom Scott.  Check out http://www.amoimages.com/ for more great work.

The Peterborough Phantoms can be found online at http://www.peterboroughphantoms.com/

You can also follow the club on Twitter at @GoPhantoms 

If you have any comments or observations I’d love to hear from you.  Find me on Twitter at   ‏@phil_smith66  and follow for regular Phantoms updates.

15^th July 2014

Wind of change?

It seems such a long time since the Phantoms last outing – an exciting, yet ultimately irrelevant tie in Bracknell on Sunday 23^rd March, following the play-off knockout blow delivered by a combination of an OT defeat to the Manchester Phoenix in Peterborough and a win for the Bees against the MK Lightning the night before.

The dust had barely settled on the Manchester defeat before Coach Koulikov announced that he would ring the changes, though at the time of writing, the only players we know aren’t returning are import netminder Kamil Jarina, and home produced prodigy Lewis Hook.  In contrast, we have seen Edgars Bebris (Steeldogs), Alan Lack (Slough), Scott Robson (Hull/Blackburn) and Tom Norton (Nottingham) waltz through the revolving doors, joining the returning James Ferrara, Darius Pliskauskas, Dan Lane and Will Weldon who have been confirmed, along with Slava himself, for next year.

More on the ins and outs in a later post.

Despite it being the off-season, there are plenty of developments on the UK hockey landscape that will have an impact on our corner of the world.

As most readers will know by now, the Slough Jets have withdrawn from the EPL, leaving us with a 9 team league as it stands.  The Phantoms have announced that they will review the season ticket prices when we formally learn whether the league will comprise of the remaining 9 teams, or whether another team (or teams) will join the EPL.  Nine teams means 3 fewer home games, and season tickets have already been bought on the basis of a 10 team competition.

Hopefully a resolution can be found quickly, and ideally one that doesn’t leave us with a 9 team league.  Immediately after the demise of the EPL Slough Jets (there is still an NIHL S2 Slough Jets team – they haven’t disappeared altogether, and hopefully will be able to regroup after a traumatic season in the EPL.  It should be noted that the NIHL S2 team were runners up, by a single point to the Oxford City Stars) there were rumours about a number of teams joining or rejoining the EPL (London Racers, anyone?), but the rumours have appeared to have dried up; my money will be on the league running for a year with the 9 teams that we have at present.

For the Phantoms, and for the other teams in the EPL, this means 3 fewer home ties, and obviously 3 fewer home gate receipts at a time when clubs are struggling to get the punters through the door.  Meeting costs just became a little harder.

In terms of competition, surely the 9 team league gives the existing play-off structure an issue?  Should 8 teams qualify, excluding just the basement club?  It pretty much means everyone qualifies for the end of season shoot-out, which doesn’t seem overly satisfactory – it lacks the feel of a genuine race to make the play-offs, though of course, the Phantoms missed out last year when 2 teams were excluded.

I have written about the EPL cup before – a competition that has tended to give the same semi-finalists year after year (none of the Phantoms, Swindon, Telford, & Bracknell has qualified for the cup semis since Manchester and Basingstoke joined the league in 2009/10).  Based on league form, who wants to bet that the top 4 after the qualifying games won’t be Manchester, Guildford, Basingstoke and Telford?

There is change in the Elite League too.  From 2014-15 the number of non-British trained players allowed per team rises from 11 to 12, and rises to 13 in 2015-16; the number of work permit players remains at 12.  It is widely felt that this puts pressure on the British players at Elite League clubs, reducing the number of berths available for them, which may have a number of consequences.

On one hand, it could be argued that the move will drive up the quality of the Brits as they will develop alongside quality imports.  The bone fide top quality British players will find their places on the Elite League rosters, but others will find their positions threatened, and faced with minimal ice time or a reduction in opportunities across the league, players may well turn to the EPL where players may well be able to benefit financially from holding down a job and getting an income from hockey.

I’m not convinced that this move will do anything to improve upon GB’s relatively disappointing showing in Lithuania, though GB success will not be the main objective of the Elite League clubs, who will feel that they have their own product to sell.  Draw the parallel with Premier League football – where there are precious few English players playing for the top teams.  It hasn’t led to success for the English football team either.

There is an argument to say that the EPL will be faced with a wealth of talent that wouldn’t get time with an Elite League club, with EPL clubs able to pick up star performers to increase the quality of their rosters.

Some ‘bigger names’ are on their way too.  We have already seen an influx of Elite Leaguers into the EPL, including Matt Towe (Braehead) and Danny Meyers (Sheffield Steelers) to Guildford, Sam Zajac (Braehead), Jason Silverthorn (Hull) and Jonathan Weaver (Nottingham) to Telford, Jeff Legue (Sheffield Steelers) to the Steeldogs, and Tom Norton (Nottingham) to the Phantoms.

With some clubs upping the ante it feels like the gap between top and bottom will be even wider this year.

My concern will be how competitive the EPL will be, and the degree to which the likes of the Phantoms, Swindon, MK, Bracknell and the Steeldogs will be able to fight their corner.  Clubs have to cut their cloth according to what they can afford, and I’m sure we’ll be battling it out in our own ‘mini-league’, just as we were last year.

Exciting times ahead, I’m sure; September seems a long way off.

The Peterborough Phantoms can be found online at http://www.peterboroughphantoms.com/

You can also follow the club on Twitter at @GoPhantoms 

If you have any comments or observations I’d love to hear from you.  Find me on Twitter at   ‏@phil_smith66  and follow for regular Phantoms updates.

31^st May 2014

And then … the other guy blinked (1)

So at last, after playing 47 out of a 54 games season, the Peterborough Phantoms achieved their first 4 point weekend of the year.

And wasn’t it capped off with style?

A comprehensive 6 goal victory, and first shut-out of the season for goal tender Damien King against the 9^th placed Slough Jets, sent the loyal supporters home pleased with the effort, commitment  and integrity shown by their team.

Reaching the final, coveted, final play-off berth will still be a huge challenge; surely the odds are stacked against the City’s premier ice hockey club, yet this weekend’s performances indicated that there is plenty of fight in the team, and whether the Phantoms reach the end of season party or not, surely there will be some optimism about the future of the club?

The victory against Slough followed a critical win in Bracknell on Saturday night.  Despite the fact that the Bees have fallen to the Phantoms in every match up between the 2 clubs this year, this victory showed the character in Coach Koulikov’s men as they scored 4 unanswered goals to win in the Beehive again.

After 30 minutes and 34 seconds of the game the Bees had extended their lead to a couple of goals.

At this point it would’ve been easy for the enormity of the impending challenge ahead – over half way through a game against play-off rivals, losing 2-0 and potentially 10 points off 8^th place, to lead to the team effectively throwing in the towel.  The play-off light was a mere pin-prick at the end of a pretty dark tunnel.

These are the times when people need to stand up and be counted, and in no uncertain terms this is what the Phantoms did, to earn a vital road win.  Well done to the goal scorers, Soar, Ferrara (Luke), Piatak and Levers, and also to Man of the Match, Damien King.

Momentum with the Phantoms, then, going in to Sunday’s tie, and momentum with the Jets too, on a high after a penalty shoot-out win against the Guildford Flames on Saturday.

Like 2 heavy weight boxers testing each other out at the start of a title contest, the deadlock wasn’t to be broken early on.

The two teams at the foot of the EPL were scoreless after a first period where chances were traded initially, but which saw the Phantoms rack up 21 shots on goal compared to the Jets’ 5.  The stats suggest the Phantoms dominated.  The last time these 2 teams met, in Berkshire, they came up against a netminder in terrific form, ex-Cardiff Devil, Joe Myers.  This time it was Croatian import, Andrej Vasiljevic, who single-handedly rebuffed the Phantoms’ efforts, making save after save.  It should be noted that Vasiljevic was on the roster for a KHL team earlier in the season, and surely has a bright future ahead of him.

The second period continued in the same vein; plenty of Phantoms pressure, outshooting the Jets almost 3 to 1, and more top drawer net minding from Vasiljevic.  With the scores still level at 0 the Phantoms conceded their first penalty, one of those infuriating bench penalties for too many men on the ice, with little over 5 minutes to go in the period.

Despite being a man down, the Phantoms scored their first short-handed goal since a Weldon tally in Bracknell at the start of January.  Marcel Petran raced to the offensive blue line to receive a pass from Darius Pliskauskas and sent a tracer high into the net.  A great strike at point where the team should’ve been vulnerable, though this, and other Jets’ powerplays were ineffective on the evening.

Nearly 36 minutes in to a tense game where no quarter was given, or taken, and the other guy blinked.  At the end of the second period, the Phantoms led by 1.

What followed was a remarkable 3^rd period in which the Phantoms scored the fastest 5 goal salvo in the EPL this year (9 minutes 39 seconds).  After 4 minutes of the period the Phantoms went on a powerplay, but almost conceded short-handed themselves; Mindy Kieras missing the net in a one on one with Damien King following a rapid breakaway.  Phantoms’ fans held their breath as Kieras swooped on the goal, cheering wildly as the puck shot wide of the target.

Less than 3 minutes later and the Phantoms were 3-0 up, with Will Weldon and Luke Ferrara goals separated by 13 seconds, and 4 minutes later saw Weldon score his second of the evening.  Despite Vasiljevic’ stellar, Man of the Match performance, he was replaced by Myers at 4-0, though almost immediately Darius Pliskauskas had stretched the home side’s lead, finishing smartly, assisted by Piatak and Petran.

The scoring was rounded off by Luke Ferrara, some 4 minutes from the end of an incredible game; cat and mouse for the first 2 periods, and the Jets blown away in a period where the Phantoms’ intensity grew, chances were created, and most crucially, against 2 top, top goal tenders, were dispatched with skill.

Marcel Petran was the Phantoms’ MoM, and I would never want to take the award from someone who gives his all on every shift and who has been a game saver so many times.  Nevertheless, I would’ve plumped for Damien King; a shut-out rarely sees anyone but the netminder pick up the end of game beers and Damo did everything required, making saves when the game could’ve gone either way.  Tom Soar deserves a mention in dispatches too; given more ice time in Lewis Hook’s absence, Tom showed a greater physical presence than at any other point this year.

6 points off 8^th place, a game in hand over Bracknell (though that’s a toughie against Manchester) and yet to play in Bracknell, where the Phantoms have won twice already.

They can still make the play-offs, can’t they?

The Peterborough Phantoms can be found online at http://www.peterboroughphantoms.com/

You can also follow the club on Twitter at @GoPhantoms 

If you have any comments or observations I’d love to hear from you.  Find me on Twitter at   ‏@phil_smith66  and follow for regular Phantoms updates.

Repeat performance …

This weekend the Peterborough Phantoms served up results that echoed those of a week ago – a heavy defeat on the road on the Saturday, and an exciting, battling showing at home on Sunday.  Last week Swindon dished out the beating, only for the Phantoms to rally to beat Basingstoke, this week the Slough Jets deservedly won at home, before the Swindon Wildcats succumbed in Bretton.

The Hangar, Slough

The result means 2 points separate the bottom 3 clubs, Bracknell, Slough and Peterborough (in that order), with the Bees having played 2 games more than the Phantoms.  Another weekend gone and the Phantoms are still bottom, and the play-off places remain tantalisingly close.

In truth, the victory against the Aaron Nell inspired Swindon Wildcats rescued a weekend that had shown every sign of seeing the club wave goodbye to the play-off race.  Returning to Slough for the first time since joining the Phantoms in December, Coach Koulikov must’ve been disappointed with the team’s showing.

For those supporters who haven’t been to Slough before, it isn’t called ‘The Hangar’ for nothing.  The rink is compact and relatively bare, with 5 or 6 rows of bench style seating tiered with at a very shallow angle, giving spectators little height with which to see the action on the ice.

On this occasion the arena seemed sparsely attended, with the Jets’ fans perhaps apprehensively wondering whether the Phantoms would overhaul them in the league.  They shouldn’t have worried.  The game started evenly enough, with the Phantoms appearing to play with a cautious and cagey approach, perhaps understandable as they   were the away side.

Padelek opening the scoring after 6 minutes and Tvrdek extended the Jets’ lead a couple of minutes later.  The Phantoms were rocking; a flurry of penalties were called (Levers & harshly, Sladok), and though Koulikov saw a 1 on 1 well saved by Myers, the Jets had further chances to extend the lead, hitting the post and Mindy Kieras missing an open goal.  The Jets were 2 up at the first buzzer, with the Phantoms on the ropes.  The first goal of the second period would be crucial.

The Phantoms upped their intensity from the tame showing in the first period and pushed hard for the goal that could swing momentum back in their favour.  Chances fell to Luke Ferrara, Pliskauskas, Soar and Levers, but it was the Jets that struck again, Waller beating King high on the glove side, and Padelek swiftly added another, on a powerplay after Will Weldon was called for tripping.  After 31 minutes our old friend Alan Lack compounded the Phantoms’ misery; a blue line powerplay goal that absolutely finished the games as a contest.

King saves the Padelek penalty shot

The Phantoms scored through Danny Wood’s first for the club, and again through Pliskauskas, to reduce the deficit, and Damien King spectacularly saved a Padelek penalty shot, before Tvrdek notched an empty net goal.

Final score 6-2.

The evening was a pretty chastening experience.  Despite being on a good run, and surely going into the game with some confidence after beating Basingstoke the week before, it never really felt as though the Phantoms got out of first gear against a side that we should’ve competed with far more.  At the start of the first period, and in the second, there was little between the teams, but the Jets took their chances and were able to control the game.  On the other hand, Phantoms chances went begging, and they came up against Joe Myers, a top quality netminder who has just been unceremoniously released by the Elite League’s Cardiff Devils.

Myers caught everything, gave very little up in terms of rebounds, and was a worthy Man of the Match.  Koulikov and Pliskauskas were returning to Berkshire for the first time since they became Phantoms , and are still no closer to knowing which one of their teams this season will make the top 8.

Moving on to Sunday …

The game against the Wildcats was everything that the game against Slough wasn’t.  A bigger, noisy home crowd cheered a much more revved up Phantoms side to a 3-0 lead by the end of the first break.  All the 17s:  #17 and captain, James Ferrara opened the scoring on 17 minutes 17 seconds, to be followed quickly by a Darius Pliskauskas brace, the first after Marcel Petran skated coast to coast to set the Lithuanian up, before Pliskauskas unleashed a bullet moments later beating Stevie Lyle up high.  The Phantoms were on fire and couldn’t have wanted the period to end.  After the disappointment of the night before, this period, possibly more than any other in recent weeks was a real statement of intent.

The teams traded penalties at the start of the second period and Danny Wood almost extended the Phantoms’ lead on short-handed breakaway, but it was Sandvik who notched for the Cats following a rebound to reduce the arrears at the end of the period.

After 10 minutes of the final period, Jonas Hoog and Ryan Watt had levelled the scoring.  Momentum was firmly with the Wildcats, clawing back a 3 goal deficit left the home side reeling.  The game could’ve gone either way; the Wildcats have the offensive weapons to trouble any side in the EPL, and were forcing the Phantoms onto the back foot, before a couple of penalty calls on the Cats turned the game to the Phantoms’ advantage.  Lyle saved brilliantly from an initial opportunity, before James Ferrara swept home as the Phantoms swarmed around the veteran netminder’s goal to score the final, and decisive goal, finally making their man advantage count.

In the final minute the Cats pulled Lyle to try to force the equaliser, to no avail.

Final score:  4-3.

Home ice advantage, yet again, swings it for the Phantoms.  The performance was everything that the home support would wish it to be, and keeps the team in the hunt for 8^th spot.  The team were committed; they played with pace and power, defended well and took their chances.  Hutchinson and Piatak had returned to the ranks and contributed significantly as the Nell, Hoog, Sandvik and Kostal juggernaut was stalled.

It is worth noting that against the Cats there were only 24 shots on King (compared to the 42 on Lyle), and in Slough, despite the final result, there were fewer shots on King than Myers.

Given that Nell has taken the EPL by storm since returning to Swindon in late December, and he and Jan Kostal lead the ‘points per game’ averages table, it is testament to the Phantoms defence that the pair didn’t score anything in this game.

Can the Phantoms get anything in Sheffield and at home to Guildford next weekend?  The Steeldogs come off a single game weekend where they lost 4-3 to Basingstoke, in a game with 110 penalty minutes, and the Flames are inconsistent.  With the Jets playing the Bees again, the Phantoms need a couple of points to stay in touch.

The Peterborough Phantoms can be found online at http://www.peterboroughphantoms.com/

You can also follow the club on Twitter at @GoPhantoms

If you have any comments or observations I’d love to hear from you.  Find me on Twitter at @phil_smith66 and follow for regular Phantoms updates.

 

 

No home comfort for the Peterborough Phantoms

The big talking point of the week was, without any shadow of a doubt, the announcement that Jon Kynsaton was stepping down (or up), and resuming the Director of Hockey role that he held before becoming the Head Coach at the start of last season.  No one will be more disappointed at the team’s league position than Kynaston and his team, but the truth of the matter is that the Phantoms are currently no better off in terms of league standings than they had been under Chris Allen or Curtis Cruikshank in the seasons immediately before Kynaston took over.

Of course, the rumour mill goes into overdrive, fuelled by poor form and uncertainty.  A number of names were spreading round the rink on Sunday evening, most notably ex-Bracknell coach Gareth Cox (dismissed by the Berkshire outfit last Monday), Sunday evening’s visiting player-coach Slava Koulikov, Phantoms’ treble winning coach Colin Patterson, and the prospect of familiar faces, Tim Peacock and Steve Johnson stepping in to steady the ship.

More than one person even mentioned Lee Elias’ name, though Lee denied any such link (as you might expect he would, whether there is any truth in it or not!).

By all accounts Koulikov is the favourite, though nothing was given away by the Brit-qualified Russian on Sunday evening.  If he is to be the new man, it could be a return to the player coach arrangement last seen in Peterborough under Canadian D man, Allen.  This may be no bad thing if he has staff that can run the bench; Koulikov has scored six times in addition to the 18 assists he has registered this season, so far.

We anticipate an announcement early next week and the sooner the new team step in, the better, as the next two visitors to Bretton are the formidable Guildford Flames and the Manchester Phoenix.  League points are going to be hard to come by.

This group of Peterborough players has talent, and have produced some encouraging results, but the number of times that they have shone has been far too infrequent for a team who, at the start of the season, had designs on the top six.

The weekend started with some bad news; an injury to star defence-man Marcel Petran was to keep him out for both games.  Popular import hockey player and erstwhile boxer, Jozef Sladok took Petran’s place and indeed, has his own strengths.  The warm reception that Sladok received on Sunday reflected the affection with which he is held by the home support.  Nevertheless, Petran has been the stand-out import so far this season, and was sorely missed.

Saturday night saw the team beaten in a penalty shoot-out (1-0) after the Milton Keynes Lightning staged a third period comeback to level in regulation (4-4), and take the extra point.  Naturally, this was disappointing for the Phantoms who led 4-1 after the first, though most supporters would’ve taken a point at the start of the weekend.

Sunday night saw the Phantoms trail 0-1 against the Slough Jets after the first period, and the goal that was washed out at the end of the period counted (clearly scored after the buzzer sounded), was compensated for by a Nicky Watt strike after 17 seconds of the second period.  That was only a prelude to another second period collapse, leaving too much to do in the third.  Poor passing and the familiar defensive frailties exposed a side shorn of confidence, and according to the coach, a team who haven’t worked sufficiently hard enough for 60 minutes again.

Another Watt goal with just over six minutes gave a fleeting glimmer of hope before the Jets extended their lead some 40 seconds later.  Just at the point when the Phantoms could’ve geared up for a big push in the last five minutes, the wind was taken out of their sails another time.

By the final buzzer, the Jets were 5-3 winners.

Nicky Watt was the Phantoms’ Man of the Match, which was much deserved, following a hard working performance that yielded a couple of goals.  Frantisek Zubek pushed Watt for the MoM accolade.  He skated hard throughout, and is fast becoming a fans’ favourite.  Soar and Harley got more ice-time in the absence of Hook and Balmer, who are both on GB U20 duty; Harley in particular showed a couple of nice touches.

The long suffering crowd seemed thinner on Sunday evening, and this being the fifth consecutive home defeat, it was no wonder that the atmosphere within the rink was somewhat subdued.  There has been little to cheer at home in the last month, and the uncertainty caused by JK’s announcement on Friday led to an air of trepidation.

Hopefully, the new man will be ready to lead the charge up the table from next weekend.  Tenth placed Telford are snapping at the Phantoms’ heels, and will be reaping the benefits of their big-bucks signings pretty soon.  Fortunately, the league table is still bunched up at the bottom; eighth placed Swindon are three points ahead of the Phantoms, whereas seventh placed Sheffield are four points ahead.

There are plenty of points to play for, and a good run will see the team climb the table.  We could all do with a W to raise spirits; let’s hope the new man can give us the kick start that Jon Kynaston is hoping that the new appointment will provide.

Footnote:

Late on Sunday evening, the excellent PhanTV posted an interview with Jon Kynaston which showed how much he cares for the team, prepared as he is to step aside for the good of the club.  Thanks then, to JK, who will still have a hugely important role to play as Director of Hockey.

The interview pointed to Kynaston returning to a role where he attracted greater revenue into an increasingly competitive market, and to the fact that the new man was in place, with an announcement to be made in the next 48 hours.

When the new man is appointed we’ll look at the stats a little more closely, but readers may find the following interesting.  Kynaston’s win percentage in the 79 games he has overseen in the last two seasons is 38%.  In the same period, Slava Koulikov, who took over the reins at Slough at the same time that Kynaston took over in Peterborough has a win percentage of 51%.

Gareth Cox had been in charge in Bracknell since the start of the 2010-2011 season, and has steered the Bees to steadily improved league placings, including a sixth placed finish last year.  Over his entire tenure in Bracknell, the win percentage was 32%, though in the last two seasons, that number is 61%.

Different teams, different budgets and different players.

At this stage we (the public) don’t know who the new coach will be, but the deal has been struck by all accounts. 

Could it have been done after the game last night?  I just wonder if it is to be Koulikov whether he would’ve played last night.  In which case … I suppose we’ll find out soon enough.

Oh, one last word – good luck to Lewis Hook and Declan Balmer in their GB U20 games this week.  Exciting times for those young Phantoms.

The Peterborough Phantoms can be found online at http://www.peterboroughphantoms.com/

You can also follow the club on Twitter at @GoPhantoms

If you have any comments or observations I’d love to hear from you.  Find me on Twitter at @phil_smith66 and follow for regular Phantoms updates.

One step forward …

On Saturday, the Peterborough Phantoms managed to snap their 5 game losing streak with an excellent 7-2 victory in Berkshire, beating the Slough Jets for only their second away victory of the season.

With the league table so congested, a much needed hat-trick from Luke Ferrara, and goals from all 4 imports secured 2 very much needed points, setting the scene for a possible 4 point weekend for the first time this season.

And so on to Sunday night in Peterborough, where the home side fell 3-5 to the Sheffield Steeldogs in a game that could’ve seen the clubs tied on points, but which saw the Yorkshire outfit move 4 points ahead of the Phantoms.

Previous games against the Steeldogs have been explosive affairs; this fixture was far less so.  Rather surprisingly, barring a Nicky Watt fight with Bebris, there was little in the way of roughing or fighting that we have seen so often in these ties.

After a frenetic start, where Sheffield hit the pipes and Bebris scored the go-ahead goal, Nicky Watt and the Steeldogs’ forward became acquainted, resulting in offset penalties.

At this point, the crowd were enthusiastic, and despite recent poor home form were undoubtedly behind their team.  Later in the period we saw a ‘Watt as peacemaker’(!) cameo, Lewis Hook’s long distance strike (swept in from point), and subsequent physical play from both sides.  The Phantoms were competing well, but fell behind with just over a minute of the period left to play.  The City side would start the second period on a powerplay following a slashing penalty called, but as so often been the case this season, and on the evening, there was to be no return despite the man advantage.

Unlike the game against Milton Keynes last week, the 2^nd period didn’t bring a salvo of goals, though the visitors did extend their lead.  Poor passing, leaving the D camped behind their own blue line, and missed chances, meant that the home side would have their work cut out in the final period.

In the end, the game got away from the Phantoms.  Levers cut the arrears, before the Steeldogs scored 2 unanswered goals.  Hope was raised when yet another penalty was called on the Steeldogs, quickly followed by what appeared to be another, as Wood seemed to mug Piatak.  The prospect of virtually 2 minutes of 5 on 3 loomed, but the penalties were offset yet again; 5 on 4, with the best the Phantoms could manage a shot against the away team’s bar.  An Erik Piatak powerplay tally was too little too late and Sheffield took the points.

On the evening, the Phantoms missed the chance to make ground on their rivals and the Steeldogs saw out a victory that was more comfortable than it should’ve been.  The Steeldogs aren’t an exceptional side; they had the pace to trouble the Phantoms, and their finishing was better, but we didn’t see the Phantoms dominate their opposition in the way they have done in victories against this team in previous match-ups.

The Phantoms continue to be an enigma; able to put teams to the sword on their day, but too inconsistent at the moment to make progress in the league.

There is no let-up in terms of the upcoming fixtures – next weekend, old rivals MK, and the Slough Jets beckon again.

The Peterborough Phantoms can be found online at http://www.peterboroughphantoms.com/

You can also follow the club on Twitter at @GoPhantoms

If you have any comments or observations I’d love to hear from you.  Find me on Twitter at @phil_smith66 and follow for regular Phantoms updates.

A weekend to forget

There’s a cold wind blowing through Phantoms’ hockey at the moment, and if a solution can’t be found in double quick time, this season could run away from the Peterborough side completely.  Currently sitting in 9^th position, the City side are in their worst run of the season, having lost the last 5 fixtures.  It’s a streak that needs to be snapped next weekend as the Phantoms face the Slough Jets and the Sheffield Steeldogs.  The Jets are in 5^th (yes, 5^th), only 4 points ahead of the Phantoms, whilst Andre Payette’s brawlers are in the last play-off position, 8^th  in the table, only 2 points ahead.  The Phantoms have a game in hand over both teams.

Whereas Coach Kynaston and the Phantoms’ fans rued the points thrown away last weekend, seeing Basingstoke win in overtime in Peterborough, after equalising late on, and a 2 goal lead squandered in Swindon, this weekend took on a different complexion.

On Saturday evening the Phantoms visited Basingstoke for their 3^rd game against the Bison in November.  Everyone in Peterborough will be sick of the sight of the Hampshire side, as they have put the Phantoms in their place on each occasion.  This weekend, however, was a low point as the Phantoms were on the wrong end of a 6-0 reverse, prompting the coach to suggest, publicly, that there are 3 or 4 players not turning up on the road.  A dreadful away record (only 1 win in 11) supports that viewpoint.

The Phantoms’ home form had been good, with 3 out of 4 home fixtures in October going their way.  This last month, however, has been a different story, with only 1 win in 4, plus the OT defeat to the Bison.  The game against local rivals MK Lightning proved to be a difficult pill to swallow after Kynaston’s strong words on Saturday.

Despite taking the lead twice in the first period, and sharing 4 goals in the opening 20, nothing prepared the home crowd for the 5-0 second period capitulation.  Nothing, that is, apart from the fact that Petran and Piatak didn’t skate to the dressing room at the buzzer, but sat on the bench; in Petran’s case, for nearly 2 minutes.  Some in the crowd suggested he was worn out after skating for nearly the whole period, others suggested there are factions amongst the ranks, and players who want to leave.

Either way, the Phantoms were blown away by a good, but not spectacular MK side.  A period of poor passing, poor finishing, silly penalties and erratic officiating saw a game that the Phantoms had competed well in disappear over the horizon.

MK took their collective foot off the gas in the 3^rd; the Phantoms looked brighter and nicked a couple (4-7), before MK scored a short-handed goal, following another phase of the game where the players looked like strangers.  Just at a time when scoring a fifth might’ve made for an interesting last 5 minutes.

On the night, Petran was Man of the Match, which was well deserved, though Lewis Hook and Frankie Zubek deserve a mention in dispatches too.

The rink was rife with talk of players being gassed, a rumour which seems to have been denied by the coach on Sunday evening, despite him making references to improving the team by looking at the market place in the post-game report.

Whether there will be a change of personnel or not, the Phantoms need to dig deep and put some points on the board.  This is a time for character and action on the ice; players need to do their jobs to a higher standard.  If they don’t want to play for the City club, then it’s time to look elsewhere.

Phantoms are missing James Hutchinson, out for personal reasons.  The veteran D man is being sorely missed; the team haven’t managed to get lines working whilst he has been absent.  In Hutch’s absence Kynaston has been left shuffling the pack and struggling to find the right formula.  We all wish James the very best, and hope to see him playing again soon.

At times like this people call for change; be careful what you wish for.  Whether there are departures and new additions, or not, there are plenty of people in the club who feel passionately about Peterborough hockey.

Remarkably, despite only 2 wins in the last 10 games, there is still the chance to move up the league to secure a play-off spot.  This needs to start in Slough next weekend.

The Peterborough Phantoms can be found online at http://www.peterboroughphantoms.com/

You can also follow the club on Twitter at @GoPhantoms

If you have any comments or observations I’d love to hear from you.  Find me on Twitter at @phil_smith66 and follow for regular Phantoms updates.

Phantoms fall short at home, but win away at last

On Saturday night the Phantoms managed to do what they hadn’t in 8 previous away fixtures – they returned home with the points, after defeating the 10^th placed Telford Tigers by a margin of 6 goals to 3.  A hat-trick from Slovakian hot shot, Erik Piatak, plus goals from Marc Levers, and Luke and James Ferrara saw the team home.  Despite a rally in the third period by the Shropshire team, four unanswered goals in the second by the Phantoms secured the win.

This brought us to Sunday evening.  The Phantoms home form is terrific, with just 1 regulation time defeat in Bretton before this match up with the improving Slough Jets.  A win would’ve propelled the Phantoms comfortably into mid-table; as it transpired, those of us who predicted a win were sent home disappointed with the result, though not with the commitment that the team displayed.

A couple of faces were worth looking out for in the Jets’ team.  Much had been said about the ability of their recently recruited netminder, Kamil Jarina, and Alan Lack, who so memorably went toe-to-toe with Cesky and Watt in our home pre-season ‘friendly’ against Invicta.  As it transpired, these two players were the undoing of the Phantoms, as Jarina earned Man of the Match honours for a stellar performance (keeping out 46 of the 49 shots on the visitor’s net), and Lack, so often a needle in the Phantoms’ side, notched the 2 goals by which Slough prevailed in their 5-3 victory.

It’s always interesting to welcome Matty Towalski and Michael Wales to Planet ice; formerly of the MK Lightning, they are both players who bring a competitive edge.  Add Darius Pliskauskas, Slava Koulikov and Mindaugas Kieras and it no surprise that fans have raised an eyebrow at the Jets’ stuttering start.

The Phantoms will be disappointed with some of the goals given away.  Koulikov waltzed through the home defence unchallenged before coolly slotting past Murdy, and Long was given too much space to score later in the first.

Phantoms played catch up hockey throughout the game until Lack out muscled Murdy and a defender on the line for the go-ahead score 3-4, and the diminutive forward beat everyone to the puck to fire in a rebound for the last goal of the night.

One decision certainly appeared to go against the Phantoms, another may well have been critical to the outcome of the game.  Towards the end of the first period Slough’s Long appeared to deliver Marc Levers a blow to the head, and on another night would’ve seen greater sanction from the referee.  A high-stick penalty was all Long received, but from my vantage point in the main stand, it looked more like a deliberate slash to the helmet.

With something in the region of 3 minutes left Jaroslav Cesky thought he’d pulled a goal back, and as the goal judge lit the lamp, so did the crowd.  The goal, however, was washed out, leaving the home team too much to do in the last few minutes.  I presume there is a reason why the goal judge thought the puck had gone in; it was disappointing that Boardman didn’t consult the official to clarify.  Games hang on these fine margins and it would’ve made for an interesting last couple of minutes had the goal counted.  As fans, surely we just want the correct decision?

The MoM awards were well deserved; Jarina for the Jets, and Levers, scorer of a ‘Gordie Howe hat-trick’, for the Phantoms.

I can’t help feel there’ll be frustration in the home camp.  Despite outshooting the jets 49-20 and scoring 3 times on an import nettie, they gave away some sloppy goals and came up short in the sort of game they need to pick points up in.

On to next weekend.

Come on you Phantoms!

The Peterborough Phantoms can be found online at http://www.peterboroughphantoms.com/

You can also follow the club on Twitter at @GoPhantoms

If you have any comments or observations I’d love to hear from you.  Find me on Twitter at @phil_smith66 and follow for regular Phantoms updates.

Upwardly mobile Phantoms

Imagine the scene:  a group of people sitting in a semi-circle, waiting for the members of a recovery group to confess their addiction.

Let me take this opportunity to introduce myself.  My name is Phil, and I’m an avid supporter of the Peterborough Phantoms Ice Hockey Club.

As someone who grew up in the West Midlands and who has followed my beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers throughout the length and breadth of this fair land, I would’ve scarcely believed as a younger man that my passion for the gold and black would be matched, if not eclipsed by my passion for the Peterborough Phantoms.

My view at the Sharks@Flyers game, Philadelphia, October 2009

My interest in ice hockey started on a trip to Philadelphia in October 2009.  Having failed to get tickets for the Eagles (American Football, another of my teams), we managed to secure tickets to see the Philadelphia Flyers at home against the San Jose Sharks in the National Hockey League.

The Wachovia Centre (as it was called then) was pretty full, with a crowd of 19,126, and was hugely impressive as a sports venue.  The arena sits in the same complex as the Eagles’ stadium and the Phillies’ ball-park; acres of car parking, escalators to the higher tiers as we see in the big football grounds in this country, good food and merchandise.  A venue of sporting legends.

For a first-timer this felt like an elite sporting experience.  It was a great pity, then, that the Flyers underperformed.  Despite having a team of full of stars such as Pronger, Briere, Gagne, Timonen and Giroux, the Sharks prevailed 4-1, leaving the home fans disappointed.

The fact that the Sharks won was neither here or there to me.  I returned to the UK a Flyer.

My induction into the world of ice hockey had a profound impact – upon my return I started to watch our local side, the Peterborough Phantoms, who play in the semi-professional English Premier League, and have clocked up many games since my first visit to Planet Ice, Bretton, later that season.  That first Phantoms’ fixture for me was a defeat to the then named Sheffield Scimitars, in a year that saw the team fail to relive the highlights of the treble winning season the year before.  The Phantoms finished 6^th that year.  A 6^th place finish this year would be progress.

As we turn our attention to November 2013, we find the Phantoms in 8^th place in the 10 team EPL.  This weekend they are due to face the 10^th placed Telford Tigers in an away game on Saturday night, and the City side are at home, at the Bretton ice rink, on Sunday evening, against the Slough Jets.  There is a great deal riding on this fixture as the Jets are the team immediately above the Phantoms, 2 points ahead of the Peterborough team.

Last Sunday, the Phantoms emphatically beat the Bracknell Bees in a 6-0 thumping; the two games this weekend ought to be winnable too.

Phantoms’ record against the sides in their half of the league (Swindon, Sheffield, Slough, Bracknell and Telford) sees 10 games played, 4 games won, and 2 points picked up in overtime/PSO losses, giving a total of 10 points out of a possible 20.  The importance of picking up points against these sides cannot be underestimated given the strength of the teams who lead the league, and the fact that the Phantoms have only played 5 fixtures against the top 4.

Phantoms’ home form is good, winning 5 of the 7 fixtures so far.  Given the poor return away from Peterborough, this run must continue.

Spirits will be high after last Sunday’s performance, and the Phantoms are looking to be upwardly mobile.   My prediction is a 2 win, 4 point weekend to see the Phantoms move up the table.

The Phantoms can be found online at http://www.peterboroughphantoms.com/

You can also follow the club on Twitter at @GoPhantoms

If you have any comments or observations I’d love to hear from you.  Find me on Twitter at @phil_smith66 and follow for regular Phantoms updates.

You can find other Phantoms related articles on ‘beyond the blue line’ at https://blueliner66.wordpress.com/