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Phoenix lose unbeaten home record in controversial circumstances

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Manchester Phoenix 4 - Telford Tigers 5 (After Overtime and Penalty Shots)

Manchester Phoenix Scorers: Robin Kovar x 2, Tony Hand and Andrew McKinney.

J Davidson sponsored Manchester Phoenix lost to Telford Tigers on Sunday night at the Ice Dome in an entertaining match in which they felt they were on the wrong end of a couple of contentious game changing decisions.

Phoenix looked a bit slow out of the traps in the first period and took quite some time to get their game in motion. Telford, always a tenacious team, looked the better team for most of the period and took the lead on 11.20 with a goal from Marek Mikusovic, assisted by Gareth O’Flaherty. This stung the home side into some action and Declan Ryan had to be alert in goal for the Tigers to keep his team in front. End of the first period and a somewhat surprising although deserved 1-0 for the visitors. who outshot Phoenix 11-7.

Coach Hand must have had some words to say in the locker room as Phoenix came out all guns blazing in the second and took just under two minutes to equalise. The coach himself was in the right place at the right time to send the puck past Declan Ryan to make it 1-1 on 21.50. Assists went to Michal Psurny and Frankie Bakrlik. Telford hit back 6 minutes later with a Callum Bowley goal, assisted by Marcus Maynard but Phoenix countered almost immediately through Andrew McKinney with assists from Robin Kovar and Joe Graham. Two goals by Robin Kovar before the interval seemingly put Phoenix in control and probably made Coach Hand’s interval talk a little bit easier than the first one. End of 40 minutes hockey and a 4-2 lead for Phoenix with the highlight of the period being an outstanding double save by Declan Ryan, the second of which denied James Archer a certain goal.

The first of the contentious refereeing decisions came with seven minutes gone in the third period. Michal Psurny was convinced, as was the whole team and around 1000 spectators, that he had roofed the puck into the net. The goal judge light went on, the team and the fans celebrated only to look in horror as the referee washed the goal out. To add to Phoenix’s misery, Telford went down ice and within 30 seconds had reduced the deficit to just one goal. Adam Joseph Taylor took the credit with an assist by Marek Mikusovic. Despite vehement protests by Phoenix, the referee was adamant and what should have been a comfortable 3 goal lead was turned into a one goal game. More controversy followed on 50.14 when Telford scored the equalising goal from what appeared to be a blatant off-side position. Once again, the Phoenix protests were waved off and Tigers’ top scorer Nathan Salem had his name announced as scorer, assisted by Marek Mikusovic and Michal Pavlu. Regulation time ended with no further score and a tremendous chorus of boos directed at the officials. Overtime came and went with no further scoring and the crowd were treated to a penalty shoot out for the first time this season. Michal Psurny missed the first shot, Robin Kovar scored and Luke Boothroyd missed Phoenix’s third shot, leaving Callum Bowley to hit the winner for the Tigers. Further protests by Phoenix at the end of the game resulted in a very unhappy coach receiving a 10 minute misconduct from the officials as a furious Phoenix side left the ice.

An exceedingly frustrating game for Phoenix, but credit to a Tigers side that battled all night as they usually do and this was reflected in Coach Hand’s comments after the game.

“Hats off to Telford. They worked their socks off all night and all credit to them. They are always a tough side to beat. However, a couple of decisions by the officials tonight have left me disappointed and completely baffled. If this league is to progress something must be done to progress the officials as well. Everyone in the rink saw a good goal washed out. It was a game changing decision and as a team we are extremely unhappy with the officiating tonight. Once again though, all credit to the Tigers.”