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Phoenix hit by Lightning strike

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Milton Keynes Lightning 9 - 1 Manchester Phoenix

Saturday saw the second visit to Milton Keynes in four nights for the Manchester Phoenix and the league-leading Lightning were in no mood to ease up in their quest for the title.

The first shots on Saturday night went to the Phoenix, but the first goal went to the Lightning as defenceman Leigh Jamieson fired home with just over two minutes played. Phoenix didn’t let the early setback unsettle them and they began to hit back with Barry Hollyhead in the home goal saving well to deny Adam Walker. Milton Keynes, having knocked Phoenix out of the Cup on Wednesday seemed determined to press home their table-topping status when player coach Nick Poole added a second marker in the twelth minute and even a late powerplay to the Phoenix backfired on them as Wales made it 3-0 drawing Steve Fone off his line before scoring.

Despite a lively start to the second session with Robert Lachowicz shooting narrowly wide, Phoenix fell further behind in the 26th minute as Jamieson netted his second of the game on the powerplay with Ed Courtenay in the penalty box for Hooking. Barely ninety seconds later and it was Wales netting his second of the game on a feed from Poole as the Lightning stretched their advantage to a five-goal lead. Further penalties presented the Lightning with a two-man powerplay and they took full advantage with Kalgoum and Zatopek adding goals to see Steve Fone replaced in goal by Adam Summerfield. Phoenix raised the spirits of their travelling support in the final minute of the period as captain Luke Boothroyd finally opened his teams’ account.

Into the final period and the home side added an eighth marker in the 44th minute, Adam Carr the scorer before Lewis Christie added a ninth on a shorthanded breakaway with Jamieson in the home penalty box for Boarding. Phoenix were now playing for pride and to prevent the home side hitting double figures and that minor target was achieved.

Phoenix player coach Tony Hand noted, “Coming in here tonight, we knew it would be tough and they got on our case right away. We had our chances and didn’t take them while it seemed that just about everything they fired on our net went in. They’re a good team, make no mistake about that and we have to accept that right now, we’re some way behind them. I honestly don’t think that was a nine-one game though, it wasn’t like it was one-way traffic at all.”

“Can we take any positives out of tonight, well Ben Wood had another good game and picked up the Man of the Match award for his whole-hearted effort tonight, so there’s something. Between now and the playoffs, we have to work a lot harder defensively and find our shooting sticks again. If it means re-working the line combinations to try and shake things up, that’s what I’ll do.”