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 passion for ice hockey started on a trip to Philadelphia in October 2009. Having failed to get tickets for the Eagles (American Football), we managed to secure tickets to see the Philadelphia Flyers at home against the San Jose Sharks in the National Hockey League. This was very much the real deal, and 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.
As we turn our attention to November 2013, we find the Phantoms in 8th place in the 10 team EPL. This weekend they are due to face the 10th 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.
Of course, there are no easy games in the EPL, and the 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.
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.
Get down to the rink on Sunday to cheer on the Phantoms, and hopefully you’ll be back very soon.
Face-off time on Sunday is 5.30pm, and this week sees a ‘Remembrance Day’ Military Appreciation Night, where military personnel and their families will receive a 50% discount on admission on the production of a valid military ID.
I’d like to thank Andrew from ‘The Best of Peterborough’, and Carrie Buckman from the Phantoms for giving me the opportunity to present some thoughts, previews and match reports on ‘The Best of Peterborough’.
Visit ‘The Best of Peterborough’ soon for more Phantoms news.
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 http://blueliner66.wordpress.com/
