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Phoenix rampant in Bracknell

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The Manchester Phoenix recorded their first win of the season in a dominant 5-0 win away to the Bracknell Bees on Sunday night.

Three first period goals proved decisive as Steve Fone stopped 24 shots to claim his first shutout of the season. Robin Kovar got the scoring underway as he converted a cross-ice centre from Edgars Bebris at 10:57. The second arrived shortly after on the powerplay as Marek Indra set up Bebris at 12:07. Bracknell’s frustrations boiled over as player/coach Lukas Smital was ejected following a crosschecking call, and Phoenix took advantage as Kovar slammed in his second from a Joni Tuominen pass at 14:24.

Bracknell created chances in the second as Krystof Kafan fired wide when well placed in a period littered with penalties and plenty of whistles. Kovar was denied a hat trick by the bar before Roman Malinik stuffed home his fourth of the season at 38:44.

Fone continued to frustrate the Bees in the final period as the unlucky Kafan was denied one-on-one before Phoenix bizarrely received two penalties for too many imports in quick succession, which were safely killed off. Alex Barker thought he’d grabbed a consolation late on but was robbed by Fone, and shortly after, Indra raced up the left wing and set up Jakub Langhammer to rifle home his first in a Phoenix shirt at 58:44.

Phoenix are at home next Sunday evening against the Swindon Wildcats, with a 5pm face-off in Blackpool.