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Phoenix fixtures for 2008-09 released

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Manchester Phoenix are pleased to release the fixture schedule for the 2008-09 bmibaby Elite League campaign.

After the pre-season challenge game weekend of August 30th and 31st when the new-look Phoenix team travel to the Cardiff Devils before facing the Nottingham Panthers, the 54-game league season commences on Sept 6th with a road trip to the Hull Stingrays followed by the home-opener against the Newcastle Vipers the following evening.

The fixture list as published sees the Phoenix scheduled for five home games on Saturdays with 6.30pm face-off times – Sept 20th vs Edinburgh Capitals; Oct 4th vs Belfast Giants in the Challenge Cup; Nov 22nd vs Hull Stingrays; February 7th vs Coventry Blaze and Feb 28th vs Edinburgh. Phoenix are also scheduled for two home games on Thursday evenings at 7.15pm – Oct 16th vs Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup and Dec 11th vs Edinburgh in the league. All the remaining home games will be played on Sunday evenings with the now traditional face-off time of 5.30pm

Boxing Day will see the Phoenix at home in the Altrincham Ice Dome playing host to the Newcastle Vipers in a 4.00pm face-off with the Phoenix travelling to Tyneside the following day for the return Yuletide encounter.

In the group stages of the Challenge Cup, Phoenix open their campaign away to the Sheffield Steelers on Sunday September 21st in a 6pm face off at Ice Sheffield, then at home on Saturday Oct 4th vs Belfast before travelling north to the Newcastle Vipers on the 5th for a game that could be staged at the Hillheads Ice Rink in Whitley Bay. The remaining home game in the group will be played Thursday Oct 16th at home against Edinburgh. In the first round of the Knockout Cup, Phoenix will look to gain revenge over the Hull Stingrays for last years loss, when the two teams play each other home and away over the weekend of February 14th and 15th.

Phoenix still have one home game against Coventry Blaze to squeeze into the calendar as well as one more away trip to Edinburgh.

A club spokesperson noted, “this year has been arguably the toughest scheduling of the past three seasons as some of the clubs had problems securing sufficient dates from their home venues, and with more teams favouring being at home on Sundays, this too caused some headaches.”

Phoenix GM Andy Costigan added, “Because of there being a number of games around the league still to be scheduled, on top of the two we’ve got to arrange, there is a strong possibility of further changes being made to this listing. We do not however expect any changes to our away games in Belfast against the Giants and we can confirm that all three games against the Giants will be held at the Odyssey Arena.”

Costigan closed saying, “As well as the games still to be arranged, the need to accommodate games into the schedule specifically for television coverage may mean further re-scheduling. League officials are still finalising the TV schedule and as yet, we are not sure how many of our home games may be affected. Now that we’re able to release the fixtures, we very much hope that any such changes for TV purposes will be kept to a minimum.”

Link

• Full Elite fixture list for Manchester Phoenix