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Manchester Phoenix 3 - Guildford Flames 5

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Manchester Phoenix scorers: Tom Duggan, Martin Cingel and Ciaran Long

J Davidson sponsored Manchester Phoenix took on league leaders Guildford Flames at the Dome on Saturday night still without talisman player coach Tony Hand and forward Stephen Wallace. They were further depleted with Josh Ward away on GB duty. Coach Hand drafted in three Metros players in the shape of Jake Nurse, Andy Dunn and Jamie Rogerson. Phoenix started much the better team and took the game to their visitors. Phoenix peppered the Guildford net but were unable to reward that pressure with a goal. Guildford then took the lead against the run of play after 10.09 when the puck was turned over and Melicharek found Kvetan who beat Stephen Fone through traffic. They doubled the lead after 13.42 with a break down the middle and Nathan Rempel deked Fone to score. Phoenix were still taking the game to the Flames and found the net after 17.23 with a neat goal from Tom Duggan who faked a shot, dragged the puck back and beat Lee to make it 2-1. No further scoring and the period ended 2-1 to the Flames.

Guildford made it 3-1 after only 23 seconds of the second period when Phoenix failed to clear in front of the net. Curtis Huppe was on hand to send the puck into the net. More confusion in front of the home net after 22.53 saw Rick Plant all alone to the left of the net to score into the gaping hole. Phoenix then had their best few minutes of the game and a neat break down the middle by Martin Cingel ended with him slotting the puck past Mark Lee for 4-2. No further goals in the period and Flames went to the locker room for the second time with a 4-2 advantage.

If the first two periods belonged to the Flames, it was the turn of the home side in the third. Ciaran Long made it 3-4 with just 47 seconds gone after good pressure on the goalie resulted in the chance for the young forward who scored with aplomb. Phoenix then camped themselves in the Flames’ defensive end and peppered shots on Mark Lee who, with some good saves and a lot of luck, kept the puck out. Phoenix pulled Steve Fone for the extra skater at the end but Jez Lundin hit an empty net goal to give the Flames a fortunate 5-3 win.

Coach Hand said after the game: “I thought we played well and were unlucky not to get a result tonight. We camped in their zone for most of the third period and to be honest the difference between the sides tonight was that they took their chances and we didn’t. The Metros’ lads that stepped in to help did well and this is just the start for them. I will be calling on them again.”