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Tallari the lone marker as Phoenix lose in Dundalk

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Belfast Giants 4 - 1 Manchester Phoenix

The first ever visit by the Manchester Phoenix to the Dundalk Ice Dome proved to be an unsuccessful one as a re-vitalised Giants side skated to victory on Saturday night.

With the Belfast Odyssey Arena unavailable, both teams took the bus ride south and across the border into Eire with the game being staged in Dundalk. Giants recent signing Peter Campbell fired them ahead in the fourth minute, but on their first powerplay opportunity, Phoenix drew level as leading scorer Joe Tallari netted assisted by Tony Hand and Brian Passmore.

The second period saw the Giants open up a two-goal lead courtesy of player/GM Todd Kelman in the 25th minute before player/coach Ed Courtenay punished a Phoenix penalty by scoring unassisted ten minutes later.

Phoenix re-doubled their efforts for the final session and put the Giants under increasing pressure, but their cutting edge was not enough to pierce the hard-working Belfast defence. Belfast worked hard to kill penalties on Courtenay and Sutter and sealed the victory as Sutter regained the ice and assisted on a second goal of the game for Campbell in the 56th minute.

Phoenix coach Tony Hand noted, "Belfast are a different team to the side we played a couple of weeks ago, they've made a couple of changes and they're working well for them. We didn't play badly, but had no luck in front of goal tonight and we need to start taking our chances. "