SNEAKY.
Bracebridge Phantom Jachym Suchanek attempts to sneak the puck by South Muskoka Shield goalie Jake MacTaggart during the final matchup for the local rivals in regular season play. The Bracebridge Phantoms came out on top, 9 to 6, in Friday's game played in Gravenhurst.
Photo by Richard Coburn
BRACEBRIDGE - Bolstered by two big offensive nights, the Bracebridge Phantoms successfully staved off the South Muskoka Shield’s charge for their third seed in the standings and time likely won’t allow them to relent the spot.
With a narrow points lead in the standings coming into this past weekend over the Shield, the Phantoms travelled to Gravenhurst’s Centennial Centre Jan. 25 for a pivotal matchup and the two clubs’ last against each other in the regular season.
The home team held a narrow one-point lead through the first two periods, entering the final frame down 4-3 due in large part to giving up three power-play goals through the first 40 minutes. But coming out for the third, the Phantoms’ Michal Spacek turned a power-play goal of his own over in the opening seconds to draw his team even. Phantom forward Shawn Watson then parlayed two straight goals for a two-point advantage they would not give up, taking down the Shield 9-6 and giving the Phantoms some breathing room in the standings.
While the Shield would move on that weekend to lose a 3-2 game to Powassan, the Phantoms added even more space between the clubs in the standings, taking down the Bradford Bulls on the road Jan. 26, 10-5.
Charles Williams and Joey Verreigen paced their team through the win with two goals and three assists apiece, while Spacek added four assists.
With the wins, Bracebridge is comfortably enough in front of the Shield with 50 points, compared to 44 to hold firmly in third place. The Temiscaming Titans hold second seed with 61 points, while the Bradford Rattlers look down on all with a flawless 35-0 record and 70 points overall. The Phantoms played at Rama on Jan. 29, but results were too late for press. Their next game will be Feb. 2 at home against Sturgeon Falls with an 8 p.m. start, then off to Mattawa for an evening game, Feb. 3. Those two games included, the Phantoms only have seven left in the regular season and will finish things off Feb. 17 with a home game against the Titans, starting at 5 p.m.