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Phoenix through to the Playoff Finals

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Manchester Phoenix 3 - 2 Peterborough Phantoms
Aggregate score 6-5

Manchester Phoenix will face the Slough Jets in the playoff semi-final next Saturday for the right to face-off in Sundays' final against either the Guildford Flames or the Swindon Wildcats.

A pulsating second leg of the quarterfinal on Sunday night saw the Phoenix edge out the Peterborough Phantoms in a barn-burner of a game that ebbed one way then the other as both teams battled every inch of the way.

With the teams tied after Saturdays' first leg, Sunday always looked like being a tight battle and that's exactly how it panned out. A hard-hitting opening saw no quarter asked or given as the hits were laid and bodies were flying. The Phantoms saw an early shot his the Phoenix crossbar and a big hit by Andre Payette on Doug MacIver saw the Phantoms defenceman miss the rest of the period. Phoenix opened the scoring in the ninth minute as Robert Lachowicz finished a pass from Greg Wood, with a second assist to Iain Bowie. Phoenix had to work hard to kill a Holding penalty on Greg Wood before doubling their advantage in the 17th minute as Ryan Johnson tucked home at the back post assisted by Bowie and Payette.

Phoenix were made to work hard at the opening of the second period, twice killing penalties on Jaakko Hagelberg before starting to get on top of the Phantoms as Stephen Wall became much the busier goalie. But as on Saturday, Phoenix were unable to convert their greater possession into goals and the visitors were given a fillip when Maris Ziedins took a feed from Gough to slip the puck under Steve Fone to make it a one goal game. Late minor penalties on Luke Boothroyd and Tony Hand for Tripping and Hooking respectively gave the Phantoms a long two-man powerplay, but the Phoenix were resolute and determined and reached the second interval with the lead intact.

The third period was if anything was played in an even more intense fashion as both sides drew early penalties. Hagelberg returned from his third minor, but his disastrous giveaway of the puck presented Ziedins with his second goal of the game and the tie was all-square again. The pressure now, if anything switched onto the Phoenix and further penalties on Joe Graham and Tony Hand again saw the home defence hard-pressed, but vitally, they survived the Phantoms pressure to take the game into the final five minutes. A face off on the Phantoms zone saw Hand win the all-important draw and his pass back to the point found Joe Graham and he arrowed a shot that hit the back of the Peterborough net with less than three minutes to play, and the crowd reaction nearly lifted the roof off the Altrincham Ice Dome. Peterborough used their timeout and lifted their goalie inside the final minute, but they were unable to force another equaliser and the celebrations by both Phoenix players and supporters at the final hooter showed jusy how much this result means to the club.

Phoenix coach Tony Hand noted, "That was a terrific game, both teams battled for the full sixty minutes and I think we just about deserved it. I give Peterborough tremendous credit as I thought we should have won last night, and they more than gave us a game tonight. That was great entertainment and for us to make the final weekend without Andre Mattsson and with a couple of guys picking up knocks tonight was just a great, great effort. The fans were tremendous, both sets, the atmosphere was electric and I think both teams responded to it."