The West Michigan Phantoms captured their first-ever September victory at Lazerskate Sports Plex on Sunday, defeating the Eh Team 6-3. The victory, combined with a Red Devil 6-4 loss to the Revolution, puts only a single point between the Phantoms and the Red Devils for first place. Currently, the Devils hold a one point advantage over the Phantoms due to a Red Devil 5-4 loss to Howie's in overtime eariler this season. The Phantoms wasted very little time in scoring their first goal, 15 seconds to be exact, as a Casey Rosenberg opening face win was dished to the waiting Brad Zehr and then over the Scott VanDonkelaar on the Phantom right wing who managed to rip a rooftop rocket over the goaltender's glove and bring the famous phrase 'Tic Tac Toe and Away We Go' into the minds of many Phantoms. 4:55 later, Casey Rosenberg would turn from set-up man to goal scorer, as the Mona Shores alumni expanded the lead to 2-0. Despite a Eh Team team goal by former Wootton/Team America teammate Ted Vereechen to narrow the score to within one, Matt Zehr would answer with only 52 seconds remaining in the opening period to regain a Phantom two-goal grip after the first 16 minutes. During the second period, Matt Zehr would continue where he left off in the first, scoring goals 4:21 into the period and 7:50 into the period to complete the hat-trick for the newest Phantom to become engage. The Phantoms 5-1 lead would continue to swell as Casey Rosenberg tallied his second of the night a mere 3:19 after the Matt Zehr hat-Trick Attack to put Phantom Nation in a commanding 6-1 lead. Yet, the Eh Team would not roll over a die, as the Blue-Birds tallied a goal in the final minutes of the second to escape the second period trailing 6-2. In the third, the Phantom offense would be muted. Yet, the Phantom Penalty Killers would steal the show. A total of 15 penalty minutes would be ticketed to the Phantoms. Despite a partial 4-2 advantage for the Eh Team and the many power-plays for the Eh Team during the final stanza, the Phantom Penalty Killing Unit would surrender only 10 shots on goal during the entire third period and yielded only a single goal. A near-complete Phantom defensive zone lock-out against the Eh Team would put the closing touches on the game and despite a very chippy and physical final minutes, the Phantoms would come away with a 6-3 verdict. Phantom Hockey...We Are The Phantoms!
