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Phoenix edged out in Basingstoke

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Manchester Phoenix travelled to Hampshire on Saturday evening to take on the Bison, welcoming back defenceman Mark Thomas from injury.

Phoenix netminder Steve Fone had to be alert early on to deny Ciaran Long on a couple of occasions, whilst James Archer and Jacob Corson-Heron went close at the other end.  But it was Archer who broke the deadlock at 16:38 when he found the top corner after being picked out by Robin Kovar as the first period ended 1-0 to the visitors.

Bison got themselves back in the game early in the second period as Aaron Connolly levelled at 21:03.  After a few chances which were denied by Fone, Phoenix then had several opportunities on successive Powerplays which were denied by the Bison netminder Hiadlovsky as the period ended 1-1, with little to choose between the teams.

The third period began with chances at both ends of the ice, and despite both Gron and Satek forcing excellent saves, it was Stuart Mogg who grabbed the crucial second goal at 46:07 for the Bison.  Phoenix had some good looks on a 5 on 3 Powerplay, but the Bison netminder again made some crucial stops.  Joe Greener extended the home side’s lead at 53:49, and Tomas Karpov made it at 57:24 to make the final score 4-1; a scoreline which did not reflect the overall course of the game.

Phoenix host the Milton Keynes Lightning in Deeside on Sunday evening with a 6:30pm face-off.