The West Michigan Phantoms moved one step forward on Sunday towards beginning the teams 25th Anniversary season, as the team closed out the regular season of the franchises 24th.  It was two weeks ago when the Phantoms suffered a rather disastrous 5-2 defeat to the Donkey Punch.  On Sunday, the Phantoms returned to Cedar Rock with an opportunity to heal the woes suffered during that clash back in early February.  The Phantoms were able to make a giant leap forward in the goal early, as Keith Mooreman would set up Matt Mead just 52 seconds into the game, as the Phantoms would score on their first shot of the game to take charge of a 1-0 lead.  With the Donkey Punch featuring several members of the former Phantom Silver team, this clash had all the makings of a very energy-filled contest.  Just shy of the half-way mark of the opening period, a Phantom Blast from the Past would tie the contest, as Andy Roseart would capitalize against his former netminder Kevin Wootton to even the scoreboard at 1-1.  The Phantoms Justin Calkins would be banished on a high-sticking infraction 45 seconds following the game-tying strike, as the Donkeys would be presented a glorious opportunity to climb ahead of the Yellow Shirts.  Despite some very strong pressure, the Phantom defense would fend off the Donkeys charge and return to full strength two minutes later.  The very fast and very wide-open contest between these two highly skilled teams would remain tied until the early stages of the second period.  It took the Phantoms 52 seconds to score in the opening period, in the second, the Donkey Punch would take just 10 seconds, as former Phantom Jason Devroy would put the Donkeys on top for the first time in the game at 2-1.  Minutes later, Donkey Punch goaltender Brian Dudek would be sentenced to a slashing infraction, as the Donkeys crease detective would appear to become a little agitated towards the Phantoms desire to reek havoc in the blue shaded area.  Dudeks actions would allow the Phantoms to test their own Nautys Power Play unit.  The Phantom power play would meet the call to duty, as defensemen Chad Manning would set-up Trent Kik for his third of the season to bring the Phantoms back into a tie with the Donkey Punch at 2-2.  Just over four minutes later, Chad Manning would get his opportunity to light the lamp.  With the Phantoms exerting pressure, Brad Zehr would set-up Chad Manning for this third of the season, giving the Phantoms their second lead of the night at 3-2.  That lead would continue into the third period.  With the Phantoms nursing a slim single goal lead, the Donkey Punch continued to work towards goal scoring supremacy.  That goal would come fast and furious, as the Donkeys would strike with a pair of goals 42 seconds apart to climb back into their second lead of the night at 4-3. The Phantoms would use their timeout with roughly four minutes remaining in the game in an effort to rest the troops for the climax.  With the Phantoms knowing their workload and their homework, the team dug in and fought hard.  Trent Kik, who has scored numerous goals for the Phantoms in his multi-year career, would again strike paydirt for this Phantom franchise.  With 59 seconds left in regulation, the Sparta native would net his second of the game and fourth of the season to breath some relief into the Phantom squad.  Kiks game tying strike would hold up until the buzzer, as the Phantoms who gave up two separate leads of the night, would fight back to force the duel to the overtime shoot-out.  Maybe it was destiny or maybe just a little bit of coincidence, but less than 48 hours prior to the shoot-out start, Brian Dudek (Donkey Punch goaltender) and Kevin Wootton (Phantom goaltender) commented about creating the overtime duel during a drunken night of enjoying the Griffins harpoon the Manitoba Moose.  It appeared the two had some foresight, as their comments and hopes would come true.  The Phantoms Keith Mooreman, Justin Calkins and Brad Zehr would all be denied by Dudek and the Donkeys would capitalize on their second shot to steal the shoot-out 1-0 and take claim to a 5-4 decision over the Phantoms.  Despite the loss, the Phantoms played a great game with the exception of roughly a four-minute block in the third period.  On the game, the Donkeys outshot the Phantoms 29-20.  The Phantoms played without the services of the teams top two goal scoring snipers: Jason Schemmel and Tim Czycyk.  During the Sunday Service in Cedar, both teams tallied a single minor for two minutes on the Nautys Penalty Minute Board.  The Phantoms complete the ten game regular season with a respectable mark of 6-3-0-1.  The team will return to the Plex on March 1st to begin the bronze play-offs.