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Phoenix in Whitley Bay Challenge Cup romp

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Newcastle Vipers 2 - 7 Manchester Phoenix

Manchester Phoenix travelled to Whitley Bay on Sunday for the Challenge Cup clash with the Vipers and made full amends for Saturdays loss with a comfortable victory.

A fiery opening in the Hillheads Ice Rink saw Andre Payette and Kyle Bruce early on with both players sitting four minutes for their indiscretions. Vipers took further penalties against Campbell and Lundin with Phoenix unable to capitalise on the powerplays, but when Bruce Mulherin was penalised for Tripping, they took just five seconds for Kenton Smith to fire them into a shorthanded 14th minute lead.

The second period saw Phoenix extend their lead as Luke Fulghum took just 65 seconds to find the net, but this stung the Vipers into action as they scored first through Rob Rankin and Tyler Willis bagging the equaliser in the 27th minute. Phoenix regrouped and regained the lead in the 32nd minute, Alex Dunn firing home on the powerplay to take the visitors to the second interval with the slim lead.

Phoenix took early control of the third period against a tiring Vipers side, Brett Clouthier and David-Alexandre Beauregard both netting in the 43rd minute. Having jumped out to a three goal advantage, Phoenix left it late to put the icing on the cake with Luke Fulghum getting his second of the game in the 58th minute and Adam Walker with just 15 seconds remaining completing the comfortable victory to earn two more valuable points in Group A of the Challenge Cup.

Phoenix player coach Tony Hand commented afterwards, “We rebounded in just the way I wanted. We played a very solid game in all departments and thoroughly deserved the two points. With a home game remaining against Edinburgh we’ve given ourselves a great chance of going through to the next round providing we can do a similar job against them a week on Thursday.”