Autocraft Telford Tigers finished off their pre-season with a trip to Peterborough to take on the Phantoms in their final game before the start of the new National League season next weekend. Tigers had lost all three previous pre-season games and had struggled for form and to score goals. Lucas Price and Scott McKenzie were both unavailable for the game which saw back up net minder Matty Bloor start the game.
Tigers opened the scoring in the final minute of a fast paced period. Zachary Yokoyama scored his second goal of the weekend with a well placed wrist shot after being set up by Tom Byrne. Two minutes into the second period, Tigers doubled their lead, when Vladimir Luka hit a trademark slap shot which flew past the Peterborough net minder.
Peterborough hit back with a goal from Cam Hough and then equalised with Hough’s second goal of the game with a shot in off the bar. Luke Ferrara then put the home side ahead with a breakaway goal.
The goal flurry continued with Telford drawing level with a slap shot from the left circle by Rhodes Mitchell-King. The Phantoms were ahead again just seconds later when Callum Buglass hit a shot from the neutral zone which deceived Bloor and found the net.
Telford recovered and scored a fourth goal a few minutes later when Fin Howells tapped in from close range.
The final goal of the period would go to the home side when Janne Laakkonen scored from a tight angle whilst on the power play.
With ten minutes of the game left Tigers were level again when Louie Newell scored. But once again the home side were ahead again shortly after when Ferrara got the final touch to the puck during a goalmouth scramble. Peterborough then put the game beyond Telford with a seventh goal, Hough completing his hat trick after good set up play by Laakkonen.
With a minute of the game left Bloor was pulled from the goal to add an extra attacker and took a time out. But despite the numerical advantage the Phantoms saw out the rest of the game without conceding sending Tigers to four straight defeats in pre-season.
Final Score: Peterborough Phantoms 7 Autocraft Telford Tigers 5.
Scorers: Zachary Yokoyama, Vladimir Luka, Rhodes Mitchell-King, Fin Howells and Louie Newell.
Man of the match: Louie Newell.
After the game Head Coach Tom Watkins, commented, “Again, I think we played well enough to win the game, we out shot them last night heavily and once again this evening so it’s disappointing to lose but we can build on this weekends performances. We got ourselves into a lead for the first time this season and looked solid for thirty minutes with a two goal lead. They have a lethal top line which has done the damage.
I liked how we played both games, lots of energy, grit and quality. We’ve not conceded a goal on the penalty kill against arguably two teams who are likely to have the best power plays in the league, we scored two goals on the power play ourselves so our special teams have been very good.”
Watch out for further details about new signings at Telford Tigers, visit: http://www.telfordtigers.net/news or catch up on Facebook or Twitter.