Manchester Phoenix

Altrincham Silver Blades Ice Dome

 

Sheffield Spartans 8 - 0 Manchester Phoenix ENL

Tuesday, 5th February 2008

After Sheffield had shaded the game at Altrincham by a single goal, the improving Phoenix hoped to hold and, perhaps, similarly shade the Spartans in the return fixture at Ice Sheffield. After 1 minute 40 seconds of the second period this was never to be. Sheffield took hold of the game on power-plays and never looked back. Special teams proved to be the crux of the game: Sheffield conceded nine minor penalties with Phoenix failing to score with the man advantage; Phoenix took six minors with the Spartans scoring on four of them.

The first period was a fast-paced nip and tuck affair, both goalies being called into action with some resolute defensive work at both ends of the ice. With the Phoenix on the power-play the need to press the advantage caused the first Sheffield goal. A short-handed break-away led to some disorganised defence and Sheffield MoM, Simon Offord scored the first of his three goals, the assist going to Scott Morris. Disappointment showed, but Phoenix rallied and took the game to Sheffield. An attack on the Sheffield net right on the buzzer saw Tom King draw a Slashing minor resulting in the Phoenix team starting the second period one man and one goal down.

A man down already, it got worse as a further 52 seconds on, Jamie Rogerson was penalised for Crosschecking during some frantic poking and prodding on Manchester keeper, Mark Law. On the resulting two-man and one-man advanctages, the home side demonstrated their special team prowess as both Offord and Turner scored. Phoenix heads dropped and disppointingly, they were never to recover. At 31.12, Morris scored Sheffield's fourth goal with an outragious back-hand shot through Law's five-hole. The Spartans began to feel comfortable, leaving players in the Phoenix side of the neutral zone with the ever-present threat of an odd-man rush. Strangely, this seemed to perk the Phoenix up a little. A power-play allowed Jamie Rogerson and Tom King to do everything but score. But, this pressure had its price: a stretch pass released Turner for his second goal at 37.36 as the ~Spartans went nap before the second interval.

Phoenix began the final period on the powerplay and committing to the attack, they allowed Sheffields' Nick Manning rather too much space, but Mark Law atoned with key saves. Into the final ten minutes, Jamie Rogerson was moved forward in what appeared to be an attempt to spoil Dmitri Zimozdra's shut-out. This move relieved the pressure on Law for five minutes. But, after near misses by Russ Richardson and Tom King, Sheffield slipped back into gear and scored, Morris from Offord at 55.38. The final three minutes of the game had Phoenix short-handed allowing Sheffield to rattle in two further goals in less than a minute: the first to complete Offords' hat-trick followed by a blast from Chris Turner from the right circle passed a screened Law at 59.40 to close the scorer's book and leave the Phoenix team looking very dejected.

A Phoenix official said "Powerplays killed the result for us. We need to realise that having a goal, even three, scored against us, so early in the game shouldn't be a signal for confidence to ebb away. We have to put these things behind us and play as we know we can. If we could have scored a couple of goals in the first half of the game the result may have been totally different. We have to put this in the box marked 'Experience' and get ready for the final three games of the season; all of which we can win."

Man of the match for Phoenix: Danny Binns

Period Scores: 1-0, 4-0, 3-0

Shots on Goal:
(Shots on Phoenix first)
Total: 19-35

Nets: Mark Law 35/ 8 (77.14%)

Next Home Game: v Grimsby Redwings: Saturday, February 9th: Face-off 5.00pm.

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