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Phoenix giant leap to finals weekend

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An empty-net finish from Darcy Anderson with just 15 seconds left to play secured Manchester Phoenix a place in the Elite League Playoff Finals next weekend in Nottingham.

Phoenix travelled to Belfast knowing a draw would ensure their participation in the showpiece weekend and took 7th minute lead through David Kozier on a powerplay against a Giants side desperate for the win, but looking jaded in their second game in two nights. A scoreless second session saw Giants needing to come out all guns blazing in the third period and they tied the game up in the 52nd minute as Colin Ward scored on a powerplay. Needing the win, Giants withdrew their goalie Colin Ryder in the final minute and fed by captain George Awada, Darcy Anderson scored the insurance marker.

Rick Brebant missed the game through an injury sustained in Thursday’s tie against Sheffield and he commented on the Phoenix performance saying, “Belfast is never an easy place to come to and I thought the boys played a very controlled and sensible game. We knew they would come at us and therefore we might be able to pick them of on the break. Kozy’s goal gave us confidence and our defensive play was excellent throughout the sixty minutes.”

He added, “Playoff hockey is different to that of the regular season – you have to raise your intensity level and I think we’ve done that. Players need to believe in themselves and now, I think we do. We’ve played well in the first three games of the post-season, to go all the way, we need play equally as well in just three more.”