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Manchester Phoenix 5 Milton Keynes Lightning 1

Phoenix scorers: Robin Kovar x 2, Bobby Chamberlain, Shaun Thompson, Tony Hand

Phoenix started slowly in this game, possibly feeling the effects of spending 10 hours on a bus the previous day. Milton Keynes seemed to sense this and tested Stephen Fone in the early stages. Phoenix however took the lead on 9.44. Jacob Heron found Adam Walker on the edge of the hash marks and the Scot’s accurate pass found Bobby Chamberlain alone at the far post to score into the empty net with Stephen Wall drawn out of position.

The game’s first major incident happened on 18.39 when John Connolly was adjudged to have high sticked Adam Walker and when referee Mr Pering saw the blood on Walker’s mouth, he dismissed Connolly with a match penalty. A minute later the home side doubled their lead with a Robin Kovar strike from the blue line. Assists went to Tony Hand and Michal Psurny timed at 19.43.  The referee was informed at the end of the period that Adam Walker had washed out his mouth and throat and reduced the penalty to a game misconduct. A couple of the Milton Keynes players were still unhappy about the high stick call and Lightning were assessed a minor bench penalty.

The second period was an even affair with both netminders showing their class to keep the score at 2-0 to Phoenix. The home side did increase their lead on 37.27 with a beautifully worked goal by Shaun Thompson. Frankie Bakrlik and Robin Kovar worked the puck well on the right and Frankie’s pass to Shaun allowed him all the room in the world to beat Stephen Wall.

The third period opened with two goals in the first 7 minutes. Milton Keynes deservedly pulled a goal back on 45.51 when Jacob Heron deflected a loose puck past Stephen Fone. As “own goals” are not awarded in ice hockey, Leigh Jamieson, being the last MK player to touch the puck, was given the goal and assists went to Curtis Huppe and Grant McPherson. Phoenix continued to test Stephen Wall and he was beaten by a piece of Tony Hand genius on 47.43. The Phoenix player coach received the puck behind the net from James Archer and after slowing the play down, banked the puck off a Lightning player to score to make it 4-1. Four minutes later, Phoenix again breached the Milton Keynes fragile defence and completed the evening’s scoring with a wonderful goal from Robin Kovar.

30 seconds later the game erupted with a coming together between Frankie Bakrlik and Grant McPherson. After a short lived scrap that ended with the former receiving 10 minutes in minor penalties and McPherson picking up a total of 8. With just 37 seconds left, the game erupted when Jacob Heron and Milan Kostourek came together. Heron was awarded 14 points but Kostourek was given a huge 40 minute penalty count – 2 plus 10 for a check to the head, 2 plus 2 for roughing and 2 plus 2 plus game for attempted spearing. Referee Pering blew up shortly afterwards to give Phoenix a comfortable 5-1 victory.