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Phoenix injury worries ahead of finals weekend

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Manchester Phoenix head coach Paul Heavey is keeping his fingers crossed that his injured players will make sufficient recoveries in time for Saturdays’ Elite League playoff semi-final match up against the Nottingham Panthers.

Heavey grimaced as he said, “we have a number of guys receive treatment today and they’ll be getting more on Tuesday. We’ll practise hard on Wednesday and Thursday and then take a light skate on Friday to see how everyone is.”

Among the players receiving treatment were Rick Brebant, Mark Bultje and Carl Greenhous and Heavey commented, “Greener has had a bad hand now for four weeks and has done tremendously well to continue to play. He’s got a sore foot and a weeks rest should hopefully do him the world of good. Mark played the first period on Sunday but, we decided it was best if he came out of the game, as Saturday is more important. Rick didn’t play last weekend because of his thigh, but has received treatment throughout and will continue to do so.”

The finals weekend will be Brebant’s swansong in British ice hockey ahead of his return to Canada in the summer and Heavey enthused, “Rick has won more trophies than any other player and while there’s a chance of picking up another and signing off his career in this country in style, he won’t let a thigh strain stop him playing.”

“We have a couple of other guys nursing bumps and bruises too,” added the Phoenix coach. “But, I expect them to clear up in time and with an even break, we should have a full bench come Saturday.”