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Breaking: Peterborough Phantoms Call Out Telford Tigers for Being a Complete Disappointment in the League
Reigning play-off champions Peterborough Phantoms will head into a new National League season in strong form.
The city side made it three pre-season wins in a row with back-to-back victories over divisional rivals Telford Tigers in challenge matches last weekend.
The serious stuff starts on Saturday when Phantoms travel to the Berkshire Bees (6.30pm face-off) with a home game against the Sheffield Steeldogs at Planet Ice on Sunday (5.30pm).
Phantoms finished fifth in the regular season standings after 54 games in 2023-24, but went on to win a memorable play-off final on penalty shots against league champions Leeds Knights.
Leeds have finished top of the standings for the last two seasons and will be favourites to complete a hat-trick.
On last season’s form Phantoms have a decent chance of a fast start as Bees finished eighth and Sheffield finished 10th last term.
But, while head coach Slava Koulikov will be in charge of team affairs for an 11th straight season, his playing roster shows many changes with star netminder Jordan Marr and club captain Will Weldon among those to have departed.
Canadian Hayden Lavigne will replace Marr as number one netminder, while fellow countryman Cam Hough hit a home hat-trick in a 7-5 win over Telford in the final challenge match of pre-season.
Last season’s top scorer Luke Ferrara netted twice in that game with Callum Buglass and Janne Laakkonen also on target. Hough also contributed two assists in a man-of-the match performance.
Hough was also named man-of-the-match in Saturday’s 4-2 win at Telford. He scored in that game as did Ferrara, Laakonen and Scott Robson.
Phantoms have re-signed Connor Glossop as injury cover, initially for the first month of the season. He was part of the play-ff winning squad.
Ferrara will again skipper Phantoms with Robson, Brad Bowering, Duncan Speirs and Buglass named as assistant captains.
There are again 11 teams in the National League. Joining Phantoms are Leeds Knights, Milton Keynes Lightning, Swindon Wildcats, 4Hull Seahawks, Telford Tigers, Romford Raiders, Berkshire Bees, Solway Sharks, Sheffield Steeldogs and Bristol Pitbulls.
