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Bees vs Phoenix

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Result: Bracknell Bees 4 - Manchester Phoenix 3 (overtime).

The Phoenix travel to Bracknell only missing the playing services of Tony Hand. Bracknell are without the services of former Phoenix defence-man Carl Graham and also Rob Lamey and Scott Spearing.

The first incident of note was a penalty called on Martin Cingel for hooking at 1:02. Just as the penalty was expiring Lukas Smittal converted an easy opportunity to put the Bees one up. Martin Cingel was again penalised shortly after, this time for interference (3:29). The Phoenix seemed to be suffering from some harsh refereeing when a too many men call was made at 7:02. Parity was restored when Jasik was penalised for holding the stick at 8:26 but the Phoenix were unable to take advantage of the extra man when James Archer, who sat the bench minor, returned to the ice. At 14:32 Steve Fone makes a great save after a slip behind the net by Ladislav Harabin presents the Bees with a great opportunity. The final minute of the period saw a scuffle between Wallace for the Pheonix and Watchom for the Bees which resulted in a brace of minor penalties. On the whistle Faith is also called for hooking. All in all an even period with the Phoenix shading the possession but the Bees having the all important one goal advantage.

The second period starts with a four on three in favour of Brackell but Steve Fone manages to keep the Bees at bay. Shortly after the penalties finish, Martin Cingel comes close and Bees number 21, Munroe is penalised for hooking. Cingel goes one better on the power play and levels the scoring at 26:35 with assists going to James Neil and Juraj Faith. An unsavoury incident follows at 27:00 when Watchom receives a two plus two for roughing with a ten minute unsportsmanlike conduct thrown in for good measure. Juraj Faith soon puts the Phoenix in front with one of the penalties still to run. As the second penalty is killed by the Bees, they are once again shorthanded as Smittal is penalised for high sticks. Again as the penalty finishes another is called, this time going against the Phoenix when Spelda is called for holding the stick at 31:56. Against the run of play, the Bees manage to squeeze one past Fone to level the game once more, the goal coming from number 11 Peter Jasik with assists going to Massa and Thompson. There are no further incidents in the period but the Phoenix are unlucky not to hold the lead and could regret the surrender of a soft goal.

The Phoenix come close within the first minute after a breakaway by Cingel and Faith but some sloppy defending shortly after allows the bees to take the lead through Watchom at 42:15. The Bees find themselves short handed once again at 43:24 when Massa receives a holding the stick call. Tom Duggan is pulled down in front of goal at 47:53 resulting in him taking the subsequent penalty shot and levelling the game. Tom then receives a slashing which is not penalised by the referee. As we enter the last ten minutes Phoenix are saved by the pipes as the Bees seem sharper in attack than the Phoenix are in defence. Ciaran Long is called for interference at 52:47 and immediately after he returns to the ice Boothroyd goes for hooking (54:55). With fifty seconds of the penalty to run coach Hand calls a time-out and Steve Fone is again called into action to keep the Bees at bay. With 29 seconds of regulation remaining, Thompson is penalised for holding though Cingel is called on the whistle for holding.

The additional five minute period starts three on three although the Bees will hold a 29 second advantage as the penalties run down. After the teams both return to four skaters Lukas Smittal takes the extra point for the Bees with a speculative shot which squeezes past Fone at 62:30.

MOM: 19 Tom Duggan

Referee: Dean Smith