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1st Period: Phantoms Scoring: Mays (1) (Weiss) Penalties: Gioioso, (Delay of Game) 14:12, Frind (Interference) 14:41

2nd Period: Phantoms Scoring: Brenner (1) (Hamblin), Mays (2) (Unassisted), Frind (1) (Redmond), Maude (1) (Gioioso), Hamblin (1) (Unassisted)

3rd Period: Phantoms Scoring: Brenner (2) (Lee), Kreppel (1), (Weiss) Penalties: Lee (Tripping) 9:12, Maude (Tripping) 3:44, Redmond (Too Many Men) 1:26

Shots On Goal:

Wharton 6
Phantoms 34

Wolf 6-6 (1-0-0), SHO (1)

February 5, 2002 (Warminster, PA)- The Phantoms killed off a two man disadvantage late in the first and early in the second period and used that momentum as a springboard to bury the Wharton Wildmen 8-0 in the Phantoms season opener.

Phantoms captain and center Don Brenner scored twice and defenseman Ken Mays also tallied twice including the Phantoms first goal of the season on a slapshot from the point midway through the first period. Captain Brenner made the score 2-0 on a feed in tight from LW Ernie Hamblin shortly after a pair of Phantoms penalties had expired.

Ken Mays got his second of the game unassisted less than three minutes later and the floodgates opened for a five goal second period. Other scorers included defensemen Steven Frind and Joe Maude, and winger Ernie Hamblin who got the final goal of the second period. Don Brenner and Rick Kreppel scored in the third period to finish off the victory.

While the offense was firing on all cylinders in the 2nd and 3rd periods, defense and backchecking was the key to victory. The offense forcing the play and swarming forchecking in the offensive zone all but eliminated the Wildmens offensive rushes. Most of the game was played in Whartons end of the ice as evidenced by the lopsided 34-6 shot total. What wasnt stifled by the forchecking, the steady defense turned aside with great positional and team play.

Despite the lack of work, Jeff Wolf was sharp when called upon and turned away six Wharton shots to preserve his first shutout of the young season. The Phantoms are back in action next Monday night at the Class of 23 Rink in a rematch against the Wildmen.