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Lightning too strong for Phoenix

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Manchester Phoenix 2 – 8 Milton Keynes Lightning

Manchester Phoenix have a mountain of Everest proportions to climb if they’re to progress through to the final of the EPL Cup after a disappointing first leg semi-final on Thursday. With face off delayed by 45 minutes because the visitors got stuck in motorway traffic, the affected the home side more than the Lightning.

Phoenix player coach Tony Hand was blunt in his appraisal of the game when he calmly said, “On the night, we simply were not good enough. Too many players didn’t play to their true potential and that’s becoming a concern as we reach the business end of the season. It didn’t help losing (Jaakko) Hagelberg again tonight, but in fairness Milton Keynes were hungrier, quicker to the puck and now they’re well and truly in the driving seat.”

The first ten minutes of the game though saw Phoenix playing at a high tempo and pressurising the Lightning and they deservedly took the lead on a ninth minute powerplay as Joe Graham arrived in the low slot to crash home a pass from Ed Courtenay. Milton Keynes dug in and prevented the Phoenix from adding to their score before drawing level in the 15th minute as Lewis Christie netted from close range. A Holding penalty on Andre Payette gave the visitors the go-ahead goal on the resulting powerplay, Smulter the scorer and shortly before the end of the period, they added a third as player coach Nick Poole scored unassisted.

The second period followed a similar pattern of scoring although it was the Lightning who were by far the more dominant team. The Phoenix cause wasn’t helped when Hagelberg was dismissed on a Match Penalty for High Sticks, but they reduced the arrears with another powerplay goal in the 30th minute, Adam Walker pouncing with his 32nd goal of the season. Less than two minutes later, Zatopek fired the visitors back into a two-goal lead also on a powerplay. Lightning were now well on top and the 38th minute saw them add two further markers, Jamieson on yet another powerplay and Bowers to make it 2-6 after forty minutes.

With the result looking beyond them, Phoenix tried to battle back in the final period, but were finding Milton Keynes in no mood to relinquish their massive advantage for next Wednesday’s second leg. Smulter blasted his second goal of the game in the 50th minute and Kalgoum completed a comprehensive victory four minutes later.

Phoenix are at home again on Sunday when they host the Basingstoke Bison in a league game at 5.30pm, before travelling to Milton Keynes next Wednesday for the second leg of the EPL Cup semi-final.