Phoenix retain silverware in trans-Pennine ‘friendly’

Sunday, 12th September 2010

Phoenix 6 Sheffield Steeldogs 2 (Phoenix win 13-5 on aggregate)

Manchester Phoenix gave their early season a boost with an emphatic victory over Sheffield Steeldogs.

The annual War of the Roses challenge was enthusiastically played out by both teams, but Phoenix went into Sunday night’s game as favourites after a 7-3 win away at Ice Sheffield on Friday night.

It didn’t take long for Phoenix to get the net rippling, as Man of the Match Curtis Huppe fired them into the lead after just 1.35. James Neil doubled the tally on 9.50, before Marcus Kristofferson broke up a Sheffield attack, broke free and laid a perfectly-timed pass across the crease for Huppe to slide in his second of the night on 14.42.

The second period saw Phoenix move completely out of sight as Huppe again pounced to make the score 4-0 with just one and a half minutes of the second period gone. But Sheffield, who had been committed and hard-working all night, came back with a powerplay goal from Peter Vaisenen on 26 minutes.

The half way point of the second period saw Steeldogs in the ascendancy as they sought to make a five on three powerplay count after Ben Wood went to the box on a 2 minute slashing penalty, followed by James Archer for high sticks 20 seconds later. But the Phoenix defence held firm, and it was Archer himself who added to an extremely impressive home debut by scoring on 37 minutes, following a delightful series of 1-2s with Stephen Wallace as they bore down on the Sheffield net. And less than a minute later the Kristofferson-Huppe partnership worked its magic for Huppe to grab his hat-trick.

It was the Steeldogs who had the final word of the second period, though, as Tom Squires took hold of the puck, rounded two Phoenix defencemen and swept home a brilliant shot into the top corner of the net for the individual goal of the night.

In the third period, Phoenix netminder Steve Fone was replaced by backup goalie Adam Summerfield for the final 10 minutes, and the crowd was delighted see the youngster given solid ice time. Sheffield’s workrate was phenomenal, and the lack of reward created frustration in the third period which boiled over five minutes from the end when Phoenix player-coach Tony Hand set about Steeldogs’ Edgar Bebris after the Sheffield player had cross-checked Hand from behind. With both Roughing double minors still being served, Phoenix’s Dean ‘hit man’ Holland went toe to toe with Sheffield’s Aaron Strawson in a full-blooded encounter two minutes from the end. Holland’s salute to the raucous crowd brought deafening cheers as he left the ice.

There was no let up from either side as the final two minutes passed before Phoenix were presented with the Roses trophy once again.

Phoenix player-coach Tony hand said: “We knew Sheffield were not going to come here and give up, their coach Matt Darlow would see to that. They played hard and fast and it is a tribute to our guys that we took the tie so comprehensively.

“I was very pleased tonight. We started to show people what this team is all about. They worked for each other, they are starting to understand each other, they hit hard and they score goals. I know it’s early days, and Basingstoke and Slough will certainly present a stern challenge when the league campaign starts next week, but I know we are going to be a match for anyone this term. It’s been a good way to launch our season.”