Four point weekend puts Phoenix third (From This Is Lancashire)

Four point weekend puts Phoenix third

8:57pm Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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EPL ICE HOCKEY:

SATURDAY: Phoenix 4 Sheffield Scimitars 1

SUNDAY: Phoenix 7 Bracknell Bees 3

Back to back home wins at the weekend lifted Manchester Phoenix to third place in the English Premier League and extended their unbeaten run to four games.

Cruising to a third successive victory after forty minutes with a four goal lead, Phoenix had to fight, literally, a third period challenge to their supremacy from the Sheffield Scimitars. A game that had no shortage of fair, physical play saw tempers fray in the third period as first Tony Hand, Andre Payette and Jaakko Hagelberg all became involved in alternations.

Phoenix were again without the injured Stephen Wallace and Ed Courtenay still in North America, but they belied a shortage of numbers with a solid performance that saw them post two goals in each of the first two sessions before the third period fireworks entertained the crowd. Phoenix opened the scoring in the fifth minute as Tony Hand laid a perfect pass into the path of Jaakko Hagelberg and the Finn crashed the puck past Ben Bowns in the Scimitars goal. Phoenix were well on top and struck a killer second goal in the 14th minute with Hagelberg in the penalty box as a long pass from defence by Hand found Adam Walker in oceans of space and the Scot consummately beat Bowns for two-nil.

The second period again saw the home side controlling the game, but it wasn’t until the half-hour mark had been passed that they emphasised their superiority with two goals in a 52-second spell. Hagelberg grabbed his second goal of the game, again assisted by Hand, on a powerplay and hardly had the crowd settled back into their seats than Robert Lachowicz superbly dispatched a Joe Graham pass for his 26th goal of the season.

The second interval saw Scimitars coach Jon Rowbotham demand a more spirited showing from his team and they responded with an increase in the physical contact that ultimately saw tempers fray for a crazy three minutes. First Tony Hand and Scimitars Aaron Strawson traded punches with the veteran Scot surprising the younger man with after he reacted to the initial slash from Strawson with a solid Crosscheck. Andre Payette was keen to impose his presence on the visitors and after talking Ben Wilson into dropping his gloves, the Phoenix hitman meted out his own form of punishment. Seconds later and Hagelberg joined Hand and Payette in the penalty box after a clash with Lee Haywood saw both teams with three men serving time. The game calmed down and the Scimitars broke the shutout claims of Steve Fone in the 55th minute, Simon Butterworth on the mark.

Tony Hand said: "“We'’ve said all year that Sheffield work hard every shift and this was no exception. We'’ve had good success against them, but we'’ll go to their place next Saturday and I fully expect another full-blooded and hard-working game."

Phoenix forward Andre Payette added:“ "The big thing for us right now is confidence in the room. We need to keep it going now right to the end of the season and if we do, we’ll be there or thereabouts in the playoffs. We haven’'t given up on winning some silverware this season and if we can keep this run going, who knows what might happen.”"

Phoenix continued their return to winning ways with another solid performance on Sunday night, with no fewer than six players on the scoresheet.

In a first period that saw no shortage of physical contact as the sides sought the early upper hand, it was the visitors who got the scoreboard moving bang on three minutes as Shane Moore crashed a shot from the slot past Steve Fone. Phoenix responded 96 seconds later as Tony Hand bagged the equaliser assisted by Andre Mattsson and Jaakko Hagelberg. Less than two minutes later and Phoenix took a lead they were not to relinquish as Hagelberg bagged the first of his brace on the night, with Mattsson and Adam Walker the providers. And before the ten minute mark, Phoenix made it a two-goal spread as Ryan Johnson found Andre Payette on the edge of the crease and the big man pirouetted before sweeping the puck past Adam Marashi in the Bees goal.

A quieter second period saw Phoenix stretch their lead to three in the 27th minute as Hagelberg found Walker and his shot was deflected past Marashi off the skate of former Phoenix player Carl Graham. Bracknell pegged a goal back ten minutes later through Michal Pinc, but an nice finish from Iain Bowie restored the three-goal margin at the second interval.

With the Phoenix dominating the game in all areas, they produced the goal of the game in the 45th minute as Greg Wood and namesake Ben combined to feed Robert Lachowicz and his rising shot gave Marashi no chance. The Bees pulled another goal back two minutes later on a powerplay strike from Jaroslav Cesky, but Phoenix closed the scoring in the 53rd minute with as powerplay strike of their own, Hagelberg netting his second of the game on assists from Hand and Luke Boothroyd.

Tony Hand said: "“In similar fashion to Saturday night, I thought we controlled proceedings well and we scored some nice goals too. It’s good that we’re scoring from right through the roster at this stage of the season as it makes it harder for the opposition to stop our offensive lines. This little run we’'re on is a real boost for the team and the club. We’'ve still got a good chance of finishing third in the final table – that would be a excellent end to the regular season and propel us nicely into the playoffs."

Manchester Phoenix are at home to Romford Raiders next Sunday, March 21, at the Altrincham Ice Dome. The game starts at 5.30pm. For more details visit www.manchesterphoenix.co.uk

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