The West Michigan Phantoms suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday night, falling to Team Chowder in the final minutes of the third period to suffer a 5-4 defeat. The Phantoms were the final team to suffer the fate of defeat this season. In a classic tilt in the cornfield in Cedar Springs, former Phantom's Ty Coon, Jason Devroy and Andy Roseart were able to power past their former team and net a 5-4 decision. Team Chowder would manage to capitalize on defensive errors by the Phantoms and an offense that did too much following and chasing. With 5:01 remaining in the opening period, Team Chowder's Andy Roseart would manage to split the Phantom defense and slip the puck through the sprawled out Phantom netminder to guide Team Chowder into their first lead of the night at 1-0. That score would hold into the first intermission despite the Phantoms out shooting Team Chowder 8-6 in the opening period. In the second period, the Phantoms and Team Chowder would go toe-to-toe on the offensive push. The Phantom's Chuck McCloud would begin the scoring early in the second period, as the Phantom blue-liner would draw the contest even 49 seconds into the period. Minutes later, Team Chowder would restore their single goal grip at 2-1. The Phantoms would answer right back 20 seconds later, as Trent Kik would blast a laser-beam into the back of the net to tie the contest at 2-2. Team Chowder would manage to capitalize on Phantom defensive breakdowns minutes later, as two Team Chowder goals in the span of 1:43 would put the home bench up with their first two-goal lead of the night. Not wanting to be out-done, the Phantoms would unleash their own two-goal-blitz in the final 1:07 of the game. Trent Kik would register his fifth goal of the season and second of the game, as the Sparta Home Boy would cross the mouth of the goal crease and bury the biscuit behind the Team Chowder goalkeeper to bring the Phantoms to within one. Chuck McCloud would net his second goal of the night 33 seconds later, as McCloud would whined up from near the red-line and unleash a high-powered howitzer on goal to tie the contest at 4-4 after two periods of hockey. Team Chowder managed to out shoot the Phantoms 11-7 in the second period. In the third period, both teams would continue to battle for the two points in the ever-so-close standings. Late in the third period with 2:22 remaining, Team Chowder would manage to capitalize on a screened Phantom netminder to achieve the ultimate game winner. Despite the Phantoms efforts of pulling their goaltender, a late Phantom penalty with just under a minute remaining would curtail any hopes of the yellow and black staging an equalizer. The 5-4 defeat marks the first defeat of the season for the Phantoms, who fall to 3-1 on the season. Team Chowder and the Phantoms now are both tied for the overall league lead. Roman Empire and the Puck-Ups trail the leaders by just a single point each, while the Sharkies trail the leaders by two points. On the game, both Team Chowder and the Phantoms registered 23 shots on goal. On the 96KBPS.com Internet Radio's Crime Watch, the Phantoms were ticketed on three minor penalties for six minutes, while Team Chowder was banished on two trips to the sin-bin for four minutes. On the Phantom scoresheet, it was the 'teens' that registered the only points for the Phantoms during the contest (#13 Chuck McCloud 2 goals, #14 Tim Czycyk 2 assists and #18 Trent Kik 2 goals). The Phantoms played without the services of Darren Skuse who was scratched with the H1N1 virus. Nate Tyler, the seven year Phantom legend, returned to the lineup for the yellow shirts. The Phantoms will return to Cedar Rock on Sunday, October 11 to encounter the Sharkies for the first time this season. Game time is 7:00pm.