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Flaming good win for Phoenix

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Manchester Phoenix 5 - Guildford Flames 4

Phoenix scorers: Frantisek Bakrlik x 3, Michal Psurny and Robin Kovar

J Davidson sponsored Phoenix kept up their title challenge with a superb come-back win against current champions Guildford Flames.

Phoenix made a good start to the game and pressurised the Guildford defence from the start. Some good end to end play ensued and both netminders had to concentrate to keep their charges from being breached. Penalties were to play a significant part in the result and the first of them went to Martin Opatovsky of the Flames who sat out a 2 minute high stick call on 13.21. He came out of the box at the end of his penalty and joined in a good rushing play by the Flames. Branislav Kvetan dropped a pass to Milos Melicherik and his back hand pass found the rushing Opatovsky who swept the puck home past Stephen Fone. There was no further scoring in the period and the Flames took the single goal lead to the locker room.

The second period was a scrappy affair with both sides going for it but the final passes or shots seemingly fell short of their marks. On 26.04, with Nicky Watt in the box, Michal Psurny played the puck to James Archer who dropped a pass to the waiting Frankie Bakrlik. Frankie made no mistake dispatching the puck past Mark Lee for the equaliser. Three minutes later the visitors were back in the lead with an Andrew Hemmings goal, assisted by Martin Opatovsky and Milos Melicherik. Despite 10 minutes of pressure, Phoenix were unable to pull it back and the second cup of tea was taken with the Flames 2-1 up.

The game looked like slipping away from Phoenix when ex Phoenix forward Marcus Kristofferson made it 3-1 on 40.53. Assists went to Tom Duggan and David Longstaff. Flames changed their tactics after this goal and appeared to be trying to contain Phoenix and this allowed the home side to press higher up the ice. It paid off soon after when Michal Psurny found the net on 44.38 with another power play goal, assisted by Frankie Bakrlik and Robin Kovar. Flames would not lie down and they again gained a two goal lead with Marcus Kristofferson netting his second of the night on 45.03, assisted this time by David Longstaff and Paul Dixon. Phoenix looked determined right from the face off and were rewarded by two further power play goals in 74 seconds. In form forward Frankie Bakrlik scored both goals to raise the roof in the Dome and Phoenix could smell victory.

If the roof raised after the 4th goal, it blew down Oakfield Road when Phoenix scored the winning goal. 57.24 on the clock and yet another power play goal, this time by Robin Kovar, assisted by Tony Hand and Michal Psurny gave Phoenix the lead. Flames had no time to react even though they pulled netminder Mark Lee for the final 36 seconds. Phoenix had achieved their 4th win in 5 games in 8 days.

An absolutely delighted Tony Hand spoke on Phoenix TV after the game:

“Huge result for us tonight. Credit to Guildford, they are a quality side and never gave up for 60 minutes. Our power play practice paid off tonight with 5 goals. We have had a tough schedule and have another hard game tomorrow in Telford, but the lads are digging in and putting in tremendous work to keep us in the running for the title. Yet again I must mention the fans, the best in the league, for their support tonight and every night. They really make a difference.”