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Manchester Phoenix 5 - Peterborough Phantoms 0

Saturday, 8th October 2011

The J Davidson sponsored Manchester Phoenix took on the Phantoms at the Dome in a rare Saturday night encounter. Phantoms have had an horrendous start to the season, losing both their opening games and also losing Warren Tait to the Steelers and Yardley to a season ending injury.

Not only that, they misplaced some of their kit and goalie Wall had to wear our nettie’s away shirt.

The first period was all Phoenix and despite not icing James Archer and Cairan Long, they put a tremendous amount of pressure on the Phantom goalie. With 8 minutes left in the period, things got even worse for our visitors when top forward Jeff Glowa was given a 5 plus game for a high stick infringement. Phoenix huffed and puffed but could not find a way past Stephen Wall.

2:30 into the second and a rocket from the right circle by Martin Cingel opened the scoring. The home side made 2-0 on 33:52 with a speculative shot from Ladzi Harabin who squeezed it through the goalie’s pads. Phantoms had their best spell of the game and met an on form Steve Fone who kept everything out. That was all for the second stanza and Phoenix went to the second break with a 2-0 lead.

Into the third and a short benched Peterborough side visibly tired and lost another man when Rick Skene took a full blooded Spelda slapshot to the side of the head. Relief was evident all round the rink when he skated off under his own steam but took no further part in the game. Juraj Faith scored a breakaway goal on 50:15 when, with the Phoenix defence under pressure, Tony Hand sent the puck straight down the middle and Juraj skated in to send the puck high past Wall. Five minutes later, Faith scored his second of the night when he broke free on a short handed play to dispatch the puck past Wall for 4-0. Phoenix completed the scoring with just over a minute left when Spelda scored from the left face off circle to make it 5-0 and the points stayed at the Dome.

Puck hits twine for Phoenix's opener

Puck hits twine for Phoenix's opener
(Image: Richard Allan)

Wall is beaten for Phoenix's second

Wall is beaten for Phoenix's second
(Image: Richard Allan)

Slava Koulikov congratulates Ladislav Harabin

Slava Koulikov congratulates Ladislav Harabin
(Image: Richard Allan)

Tempers flare in the second period

Tempers flare in the second period
(Image: Richard Allan)

Juraj Faith scores on the breakaway

Juraj Faith scores on the breakaway
(Image: Richard Allan)