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Phoenix bounce back with a good win over Bracknell

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Manchester Phoenix 6 - Bracknell Bees 2.

Phoenix Scorers: Robin Kovar x 2, Tony Hand, James Archer, Andrew McKinney and Frantisek Bakrlik.

J Davidson sponsored Manchester Phoenix bounced back after the Saturday disappointment in Basingstoke to record a fine win against the Bracknell Bees.

Bees came into the Dome having lost just one of their last six games and confident of maintaining their drive for a play-off spot.

Phoenix started strongly as usual and Alex Mettam in the Bees’ goal had to be sharp early on. The game struggled to find any rhythm but Phoenix certainly did on 10.04. Luke Boothroyd found Frankie Bakrlik on the left wing and his pin point pass across the ice was met superbly by Robin Kovar to smash the puck home and give the home side a 1-0 lead. The advantage lasted just 4 minutes when Bees player/coach Lukas Smital latched on to a Scott Spearing pass to glide in and beat Stephen Fone for the equaliser. The goal was timed at 14.47 and a second assist was given to Lewis Turner. Phoenix quickly re-gained the lead on 16.21. Robert Schnabel sent James Archer on a run into the Bees defensive zone. The latter pushed the puck down the left and Tony Hand took advantage of some sloppy defence to work into a good position. With Mettam moving to his left, anticipating the return pass to Archer, Hand saw the gap and wristed a beauty, top shelf. The period ended with Phoenix out-shooting the Bees 13-6 and deservedly leading 2-1.

Bracknell came more into the game in the second period and Stephen Fone was called upon to make a couple of crucial saves to maintain the one goal advantage. On 32.07, Phoenix increased their lead. With Pavel Strycek sitting out a 2 minute holding penalty, the home power play unit went to work. Frankie Bakrlik and Tony Hand combined to give James Archer the chance to find the net and he did with aplomb to put his team 3-1 up. Bees were showing the resilience necessary to achieve the play-off slot they so desire and pulled a goal back with a power play goal of their own. Frankie Bakrlik was sitting out Phoenix’s only penalty of the night when Grant Rounding got a stick to a loose puck behind Stephen Fone to poke the biscuit into the net. There was a hint of man in the crease but the officials promptly signalled a goal. The score was timed at 37.39 and assists went to Tony Redmond and Lukas Smital. The end of the second period saw Phoenix maintain their 3-2 lead.

Phoenix came out strong in the third period and scored their fourth goal of the evening just 49 seconds into the final stanza. Robin Kovar hit his second of the evening and an assist went to Frankie Bakrlik. Andrew McKinney scored a fine goal on 49.54 when he controlled a waist high puck and swept it home past Alex Mettam for a 5-2 lead. Assists on this goal went to Joe Graham and Frankie Bakrlik. The latter crowned a man of the match winning performance with a goal of his own on 49.45 with an unassisted effort. Phoenix outshot the Bees 26-8 in the last period to record a comfortable 6-2 win and move closer to Bison at the top of the table.

When asked about his 5 point performance, Man of the Match Frankie Bakrlik said:

“It is great to get the points but it does not matter who scores or assists as long as the team wins.”