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Missed chances cost Phoenix in Peterborough

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Manchester Phoenix travelled to Peterborough on Saturday evening to take on the Phantoms, and came out on the wrong end of an 8-3 scoreline despite an even game in terms of chances.

Phoenix unfortunately revealed before the game that Sunday evening’s home match against the Bracknell Bees has been cancelled due to an ice plant failure in Deeside.

Phoenix started strongly and hit the post through James Archer in the opening seconds.  Phoenix then forced an early 5 on 3 Powerplay, with Stanislav Gron finishing a pass from Robin Kovar at 3:49.  Phantoms responded through Craig Scott shortly after at 4:47 to level at 1-1, but Phoenix had the better of the period, and Janis Auzins had to make good saves from Gron and Michal Satek.

Robin Kovar buried a rebound following a shot from James Archer at 24:03 as Phoenix retook the lead but defenceman Tom Norton fired a shot through traffic at 29:33 to level.  Jacob Corson-Heron grabbed his first goal of the season at 32:19 converting a pass from Trent Hope, before Phantoms equalised for the third time at 38:18 when Edgars Bebris fired past Fone.
 
Ales Padalek quickly gave the home team the lead for the first time at 38:38 when he rounded Fone to score.  A huge deflection from Lloyd Gibson on a Cameron McGiffin shot at 39:56 then gave Peterborough a 5-3 advantage at the end of the second.

Phoenix again created chances at the start of the third, and a Gron blast on the Powerplay was saved and Kovar saw his rebound denied, but Marc Levers pounced shorthanded at 44:27 to make it 6-3.  Phoenix continued to create chances but Pliskauskas scored his second at 46:19 and later in the period, netminder Phil Spanswick was given his first ice time in a Phoenix shirt.  James White added a late goal for Peterborough at 58:56 to make the final score 8-3.

Coach Tony Hand commented: “It was a tough loss to take tonight as we created plenty of chances and on another night, we could have come away with something.  It’s disappointing that tomorrow night’s game has been postponed so we’ll start to focus on next weekend’s games.”