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Bultje blow as Phoenix prepare for Panthers

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Manchester Phoenix will again be without their Dutch international forward Mark Bultje when they take on the Nottingham Panthers in then MEN Arena tonight.

Bultje has been out of action since injuring a wrist in a game against the Belfast Giants on January 11th and had been hoping to be back in time for tonight’s Elite League fixture. Phoenix head coach Rick Brebant commented, “It’s disappointing for both Mark and the rest of the team – he gives us more options up front and that would have been very useful against the Panthers.”

Bultje remarked, “I’ve been getting physio and it is getting easier but not enough to play on Wednesday. The swelling is going down but it’s still there, there’s no visible bruising, it’s all under the skin. I’ve been skating and I can carry my stick, but shooting is still a no-no, so I’ll do my bit for the team behind the bench.”

Brebant added, “Mark has done a good job behind the bench, but we need him on the ice and that’s why, as an extra safeguard, we’re sending him for x-rays to make doubly sure that the problem is not long-term.”

Phoenix opponents Nottingham have reported injuries to three key players, defenceman Kristian Taubert and forwards David Struch and Joel Salonen, but a Phoenix spokesman said, “we’ve heard this before, but I’ll be surprised if Taubert and Struch aren’t in their line-up tonight – we know they’ve trained this week.”

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