Bradford Bulldogs 0 – 6 Phoenix U-16B - Juniors

Bradford Bulldogs 0 – 6 Phoenix U-16B

Monday, 3rd December 2007

A shutout performance from netminder Nicole Jackson and another outstanding hat-trick from Salford-born Jared Dickinson saw Manchester Phoenix U-16B squad return victorious from a tough trip to the Bradford Bulldogs on Saturday.

From the initial face off, Phoenix took the game to the home team and kept the early pressure on Leeming in the home goal. With lines rotated on average every forty seconds, the players were kept focussed on the game with quick and effective line changes. Phoenix were in charge and the Bulldogs worked hard to deny them on the first powerplay, Jared Dickinson firing just wide on the visitors best chance. With netminder Nicole Jackson coping comfortably with the Bradford forwards, it was only a matter of time before the red rose team would be on the scoreboard. A badly timed hit by Connor Medley of the Bulldogs on Dickinson in the corner turned into a long delay as the player eventually had to be stretchered off the ice. Dickinson had seen the hit coming and neatly avoided the impact that saw Medley crash heavily into the boards. Subsequent examination in hospital confirmed the Bradford player had suffered a broken tibia and fibula, and everyone concerned with the Phoenix wishes him a speedy recovery.

The second period saw Phoenix coach Greg Allen imploring his players to a more concerted effort and his words did not go unheeded. The deadlock was eventually broken at 19:36 when Shannon Lingwood set up Harvey Treadgold to fire a superb rising shot high above Leemings glove hand into the roof of the net. Bradford responed by deciding to step up the physical play, but Phoenix were more than a match as the game threatened to get out of hand. Just after the halfway mark in the game, Treagold and Dickinson netted goals thirty seconds apart to put some daylight between the teams. With the hits still raining in from both teams, much of the remaining play was played in the neutral zone. A big hit by Bradfords' Butler wasn’t quite appreciated by Shannon Lingwood who vented his feelings in the direction of the referee and duly picked up a ten-minute misconduct penalty at 29:18.

Coach Allen gave a rousing talk to the team at the second break and a bit of a lecture to the captain as this was his second misconduct in consecutive games for mouthing off at officialdom. A line shuffle saw Jake O’Connor move on to the first line and he played his part in keeping the pressure on the Bulldogs early in the final session. At 31:28, with Phoenix again on the powerplay, Ryan Hulme crashed an excellent slapshot from the blue line that flew into the top right corner for 4-0. Good interplay between Kieran Ferris and Jared Dickinson, led to the latter bagging his second goal of the game and forced the home side into a change of goalies. It wasn’t long before Cosimin was called into the action and picking the puck from the twine at 41:52, as the impressive Jared Dickinson forced home a loose puck for his personal hat-trick on a delayed penalty against the Bulldogs. Bradord again resorted to some strong physical play trying to intimidate the Phoenix and break the shutout claims of Nicole Jackson, but the Phoenix stood firm and she got her just reward.

A Phoenix spokesperson noted, "Jared and Nicole will quite rightly get the plaudits for their stellar perfromances, but this was a great victroy earned on the back of a superb team effort. Bradford come to our place next Saturday - no doubt, they'll try to rough it up again as they seek revenge."

Game Stats.

Bradford Bulldogs 0 – 6 Manchester Phoenix U-16B
Period scores: 0-0, 0-3, 0-3

Jared Dickinson 3+0; Harvey Treadgold 2+0; Ryan Hulme 1+0; Shannon Lingwood 0+3; Kieran Ferris 0+1

PIMs: 26-28
SOGs: On Bradford 6/18
On Nicole Jackson for Phoenix 0/14

Phoenix MVP - Jared Dickinson

Bradford Bulldogs 0 – 6 Phoenix U-16B

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