Phoenix win full-blooded Roses thriller
11:58pm Tuesday 27th December 2011 in Sport By Nigel McFarlane
WINNERS: Martin Cingel and Slava Koulikov celebrate
EPL ICE HOCKEY:
Manchester Phoenix 5 Sheffield Steeldogs 4 (after overtime and penalties)
Manchester Phoenix completed back-to-back wins for the first time since November after a full-blooded, thunderous encounter with the Sheffield Steeldogs.
Phoenix, coming into the game on the back of a 4-2 win against Milton Keynes Lightning, were without Tony Hand and Tom Duggan but welcomed Stephen Wallace back after his wrist injury.
It was Sheffield, though, who drew first blood in the latest Wars of the Roses chapter, when Ashley Calvert fired home a rebound from close range after two minutes. Edgars Bebris doubled the Steeldogs’ lead on 12 minutes, as he skated through the Phoenix defence to slot the puck past Steve Fone.
Phoenix pulled a goal back through Martin Cingel three minutes into the second period, but just as Phoenix looked to have killed a two minute five on three penalty, Sheffield’s man of the match Stuart Brittle bagged a third on the power play for the Yorkshire side on 27 minutes.
Phoenix man of the match Slava Koulikov grabbed a second for Phoenix on the half way mark of the game, but Brittle scored again for Sheffield on 36 minutes to make it 4-2.
Phoenix regrouped and when Ciaran Long scored an excellent opportunist effort a minute later, it kept the game alive. But a superb solo effort from Stephen Wallace a minute later made the score 4-4 at the end of the second period, and both sides had everything to play for.
The third period was a full-on, end-to-end thriller, as both sides pressed for a winner.
Former Phoenix player Pavel Gomeniuk was thrown out of the game for boarding on 53 minutes, but neither side could make the opportunities count.
Phoenix spent the majority of the five minutes overtime on the penalty kill, but Sheffield failed to press home the advantage. It then came to a penalty shootout, and while Koulikov and Juraj Faith scored for Phoenix, only Greg Wood responded for Sheffield.
Phoenix coach Tony Hand said: “If you want to beat Sheffield you have to work extremely hard because they are a tough, skilful, industrious side and they can never be underestimated.
“But we kept our heads up tonight, we battled back when things looked bleak and we got the win we deserved. That shows the character we have in this locker room.
“The guys are fighting back and the confidence is growing.”
