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Lightning and Bison next up for Phoenix

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J Davidson sponsored Manchester Phoenix continue their quest for silverware this weekend with another tough couple of games.

On Saturday they head back to Coventry to take on Milton Keynes Lighting. Phoenix had a disaster last time they met falling to their heaviest defeat of the season, losing 7-2. Manchester have a good record this season against MK and will be looking to take something from the game, having had the better of them 3 times this season.

Lightning are a well organised side and after a sticky start are showing good form. Import forwards Janne Jokila and Stanislav Lascek have already amassed 99 points between them so far this season. Add experienced British forward Leigh Jamieson and you have a very potent offence.

On Sunday Phoenix play Basingstoke Bison at the Dome with the usual 1730hrs face off. The teams have met 3 times so far this season with Bison having a 2-1 series lead after winning 4-2 early in the season and 5-2 last week against a Phoenix side without top forward Frankie Bakrlik and starting netminder Stephen Fone. This will be the second encounter at the Dome with Phoenix comfortably winning the first 6-1. Phoenix are currently 2 points behind Bison but have 3 games in hand. A win on Sunday could take them back to the top of the league.

Bison, however, will have other ideas. They have lost top striker Joe Miller to Telford but Ciaran Long has joined them from Slough and is in great form. Tomas Karpov is a top knotch import forward and the Bison are definitely contenders for honours this season.

Coach Hand said of the upcoming weekend:

“We have another tough week ahead, there again, they all are. Milton Keynes proved against us that they are a side capable of challenging at the top end of the league and we will need to be better than we were last time out. Basingstoke beat us last time out and I would like to redress the balance in this one. As always I like to take something from every weekend and with two games against close rivals we can start the business end of the season with a boost.”

Phoenix would also like to announce that Paul Maudsley will be with the team as back up netminder for the rest of the season. Paul stepped in at very short notice last weekend when Stephen Fone took ill and Coach Hand wasted no time in securing him till April.