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Fone shutout as Phoenix sting the Bees

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Bracknell Bees 0 - 6 Manchester Phoenix

Netminder Steve Fone posted a 22-shot shutout on Saturday night and sniper Ed Courtenay bagged a brace as the Manchester Phoenix cruised to victory at the Hive to maintain their challenge at the top of the EPL table.

A keenly contested first period at the Hive saw some early hits as both teams tried to impose themselves and referee Cloutman had early words with two players to prevent tempers from fraying. Both sides were committed to open attacking hockey and it was the Phoenix creating more of the goal scoring opportunities, but Carl Ambler in the home goal was in fine form. Phoenix killed a Bracknell two-man powerplay and soon went back on the attack with Ambler excelling with a double save to deny both Tony Hand and Jaakko Hagelberg. The only goal of the period took its time in coming, but the wait was well worth it as fine interplay saw Hagelberg and Ed Courtenay combine with Courtenay deking around Ambler in the 17th minute.

Any lingering bus legs in the Phoenix squad were out of their system in the second period as they dominated the session, outshooting Bracknell 21-6 to underline their superiority. Ambler made early saves from Hand, Courtenay, Lachowicz and Greg Wood before Phoenix doubled their lead, Iain Bowie backhanding home from the edge of the crease with assists to Greg Wood and Andre Payette in the 24th minute. Hagelberg saw a shot cannon back off a post with Phoenix on a powerplay before Phoenix scored their third goal just past the half-hour mark. Both teams had a man in the penalty box and the extra space allowed Lachowicz to find Joe Graham at the top of the slot and his shot squeezed through the defences of Ambler. Phoenix continued to pepper the home goal with shots and both Bowie and Tony Hand saw shots ring off the pipework or the score line could have been much greater.

Bracknell tried to mount a fight back early in the third period, but Fone in the Phoenix net was playing confidently and dealt calmly with the home sides shots that got through to him. Boosted by his calm performance, Phoenix set about adding to their score with Adam Walker adding the fourth in the 47th minute. Another strong Phoenix attack saw a five-goal spread reached as Courtenay laid the puck into the path of Andre Mattsson and the Swedish defenceman forced the puck home from close range. The goal of the game came in the 52nd minute as Walker fed Ed Courtenay and the former NHL star blasted a shot from the right circle into the roof of the net to emphatically stamp his mark on the game. Phoenix eased off and the attention switched to Fone and his effort to keep a clean sheet and the cheers of the travelling Phoenix fans at the final hooter heralded his success and Man of the Match award.

Speaking afterwards, Phoenix player coach Tony Hand said, "I was pleased with the effort tonight, we've still got a couple of guys who are not 100%, but they battled and I thought we were good value for the result. It's always pleasing when your goalie gets a shutout and the clean sheet will do Foneys' confidence the world of good."