Phoenix dig deep to kick-start momentum
12:57am Monday 21st November 2011 in Sport By Nigel McFarlane
VITAL WIN: Slava Koulikov scores Phoenix' second goal. Picture by Nick Ogden.
EPL ICE HOCKEY:
Manchester Phoenix 4 Peterborough Phantoms 1
Manchester Phoenix took a priceless step towards getting their faltering season back on track with a vital win against Peterborough Phantoms on Sunday night.
A 3-1 defeat at Peterborough on Saturday had seen Phoenix slip to seventh in the table, and confidence seemed at a premium in the opening moments of the game, with a cautious start by both teams.
Phoenix were again missing Tony Hand, Stephen Wallace and Jaroslav Spelda through injury, while Phantoms were without Jono Williamson, Luke Barber, Dan Lane, Ondrej Lauko and Mitch White.
There was a palpable sense of relief when James Archer put Phoenix ahead on four minutes from a pass from Phoenix man of the match Ciaran Long, and Slava Koulikov doubled the lead after 16 minutes, reflecting Phoenix’s domination of the first period.
There was increased pressure from Phantoms in the second period, but it was Martin Cingel who combined superbly with Juraj Faith for Manchester’s third goal on 25 minutes, after Faith had broken up a Phantoms attack and laid off a superb pass.
The ever-present Tom Duggan pounced for the fourth goal three minutes from the end of the second period.
Phantoms’ netminder Stephen Wall left the game just before the end of the second period with an injury, and Damien King took over between the pipes.
Phantoms continued to press for a goal in the third period and their efforts were rewarded when Luke Ferrara finished off an excellent move to sweep a shot past Steve Fone in the Phoenix goal, but any hopes of a late rally were quashed when Will Weldon was called for hooking with less than two minutes left, and Phantoms ended the game on the penalty kill.
Phoenix player coach Tony Hand said: “That was a vital win for us. The guys played well, kept things tight and we stuck to our game.
“It’s been tough this last few weeks with injuries, but hopefully the light is at the end of the tunnel.”
