Blank weekend for Phoenix

Sunday, 1st March 2015

Manchester Phoenix 3 - Peterborough Phantoms 5

Phoenix scorers: Adam Walker, Bobby Chamberlain and Frankie Bakrlik

J Davidson sponsored “Men of Iron” Manchester Phoenix drew a blank at the weekend when they followed up their narrow defeat in Milton Keynes with a 3-5 loss to Peterborough Phantoms in their home Sunday fixture.

Phoenix started well and answered Phantoms’ aggressive forechecking game with some of their own and Janis Auzins had to be sharp to deny the home side. Phantoms took the lead on 21.45 against the run of play when Cameron McGiffen scored, assisted by Edgars Berbris and Will Weldon. Phoenix hit back quickly and were level less than a minute later with an Adam Walker strike, assisted by Frankie Bakrlik and Ben Wood. The period ended 1-1 with Phoenix outshooting their opponents 19-12.

It was a different story in the second period with Phantoms pressing Phoenix and forcing turnovers and odd man rushes at will. The visitors re-took the lead on 27.05 with a neat Edgars Bebris goal and they followed that up with further strikes on 31.10 by Luke Ferrara and a Darius Pliskauskas marker on 38.41. A dejected Phoenix went to the locker room losing 4-1 at the end of the period.

The third was an even affair and with just over 7 minutes left on the clock, Phoenix reduced the deficit with a Bobby Chamberlain goal, assisted by Robin Kovar and Shaun Thompson. Hope of getting something from the game was dashed just 2 minutes later when Slava Koulikov scored Phantom’s 5th goal. Phoenix scored a consolation on 58.49 when Frankie Bakrlik hit the net, assisted by Adam Walker and Joe Graham. That finished the scoring for the night and Peterborough took the points home.

Coach Hand said after the game: “I thought we were a bit flat tonight and all credit to Peterborough for a good performance, taking their chances well. We gave up too many odd rushes and their finishing was clinical.”