Phoenix damp Lightning at The Dome

Sunday, 3rd October 2010

Manchester Phoenix 5 Milton Keynes Lightning 2

Manchester Phoenix and Milton Keynes Lightning once again locked horns to create a breathless, frantic, full-blooded encounter in front of a raucous crowd at the Altrincham Ice Dome.

The slick, skilful hockey that both sides created in previous match-ups was little in evidence during a first period littered with cheap shots, incident and fighting.

The red mist descended as early as 5 minutes, when Lightning’s Michael Wales took a 2 plus 10 penalty for a cross-check to the head of Curtis Huppe. Huppe responded with a cross-check of his own to the back of Wales, and was also given a 2 plus 10.

Both teams became involved in a verbal altercation in front of the Phoenix bench that ended in a fight between Phoenix player coach Tony Hand and Lightning’s Grant McPherson. Hand won the tussle easily and both players received 2+2 Roughing penalties.

An outbreak of ice hockey followed, during which both sides took liberties, but it was Phoenix who broke the deadlock on 15 minutes with a superb goal from Marcus Kristoffersson. But it was Grant McPherson who again provided a talking point as he inexplicably slashed at Kristoffersson’s leg as the teams lined up for the restart, leaving the Swede prone on the ice.

McPherson was thrown out of the game, but it was Lightning who capitalised from the restart, as Monir Kalgoum ended a sweeping MKL attack by sweeping the puck past Steve Fone for a short-handed equaliser a minute later.

Emotions were still running high, and when Tom Duggan took a pass from Tony Hand and created a wonderful solo goal two minutes from the end of the first period, the delight was palpable.

While the second period was just as keenly contested, it was clear that calmer heads had prevailed as both sides turned up ready to play hockey. It was Lightning who struck first, though, as Lukas Zatopek hit a hopeful shot from the blue line that slipped past the unsighted Steve Fone to level the scores.

But it was Phoenix who won the mental battles in the second period, creating frustration and uncertainly in the MKL ranks that allowed them to pull clear either side of the half way mark.

Phoenix Man of the Match Greg Wood first latched on to a sloppy cross-goal pass from Lightning defenceman Ross Green on 27 minutes and expertly dispatched it past Barry Hollyhead in the Lightning goal. Then James Archer pounced on a loose puck on 33 minutes to score in the top corner, another soft goal that hit Lightning hard as the period ended 4-2 to Phoenix.

Phoenix showed their defensive maturity in the third period, as MKL kept up sustained periods of pressure. Steve Fone was called into action in the Phoenix goal a lot more than in the first two periods, but it was Curtis Huppe who dealt the game’s killer blow five minutes from the end as he connected with a pass from Tony Hand and swept the puck past Hollyhead.

Tony Hand said: “We stood strong tonight and showed that we couldn’t be bullied. We made it clear from the start that any team that comes to us with an overtly physical game plan will get just as good as they give.

“Tonight was a battle and no mistake, we had to fight for every inch, but the guys were really fired up after losing on penalties to Swindon on Saturday. That first defeat of the season hurt, and it was vital that we got back to winning ways straight away.

“It’s a measure of the spirit in the locker room that we had the mental strength not just to come back and win, but win convincingly against the reigning champions.

“And the atmosphere was fantastic tonight. The travelling fans from Milton Keynes did their team proud, like they do every time at the Ice Dome, but our fans were just awesome. It really helps the guys to hear that noise.”