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Phoenix playoff bound in Blaze of glory

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Two goals from captain George Awada and an outstanding 39-shot shutout from netminder Jayme Platt booked the Manchester Phoenix a playoff berth - barring a final league weekend disaster - with a vital Saturday night road win over the Coventry Blaze.

Phoenix followed up their 7-2 win in London on Friday with a backs-to-the-wall performance in Coventry with Platt magnificent in goal and Awada proving the goal-poacher supreme with both his strikes coming in a tense third period.

In a game that was often physical and which threatened to boil over on at least two occasions, the Phoenix held their nerve under intense pressure from a Blaze side desperate to return to winning ways after a run of indifferent form of their own.

With the game still scoreless with less than 15 minutes to play, Dwight Parrish and Mark Bultje combined to release Awada down the left wing and cutting to the net, he fired the puck high into the top right corner of the net in the 47th minute to bring the travelling fans to their feet. Coventry strained every sinew trying to draw level and Platt stonewalled them time and time again with a superb netminding display ably supported by a mean performance which saw the Phoenix defenceman leave the ice happy but wearing the bruises of battle with pride. Captain Awada sealed the victory in the final minute scoring into an empty net after Coventry pulled their goalie for an extra attacker.

Head coach Paul Heavey sighed with relief after the game noting, "we knew we had to come here and battle like never before if we were to take anything from the game. We knew Coventry would throw everything at us and they did and it proved to be an exciting and bruising game. Jayme Platt was outstanding tonight and showed what an excellent goalie he is and everyone else deserves credit for sticking to the game plan we put in effect. We wanted to keep it simple and that means not trying to play pretty hockey. We knew it would be hard and so the plan was to make it ugly and difficult for them to break us down. By and large, we did that well and some of our guys have the evidence written all over their bodies. We've split lips, black eyes, aching bones, creaking joints and much more besides and I'll be honest, I'm really glad we're not playing Sunday night." Phoenix would have to lose both their remaining regular Elite League fixtures and Basingstoke Bison would have to win both their remaining games for the Phoenix not to now qualify for the post-season playoff championship. Basingstoke have to travel to both Belfast and league champions Sheffield next weekend while Phoenix are at home to Cardiff and London respectively.

Heavey remarked coyly, "We knew before this weekend, that our playoff hopes were in our own hands and we've done well. But, until it's mathematically impossible for us to be caught, we won't be resting on any laurels. Getting to the playoffs is one thing, once we're there the goal is to then get to the final weekend in Nottingham."