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Phoenix make a lightning strike

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Milton Keynes Lightning 1 - Manchester Phoenix 4

Phoenix scorers: Martin Cingel x 3, Slava Koulikov

J Davidson sponsored Manchester Phoenix made it 3 wins in a row with a resounding win in Milton Keynes on Friday night. Phoenix, icing without player coach Tony Hand, welcomed Tom Duggan back to the ranks after a shoulder problem.

In an end to end first period, it was the visitors who had the upper hand and two goals from Martin Cingel quietened the usually boisterous home crowd. His first came on 12.47 assisted by Slava Koulikov and he doubled Phoenix’s lead 4 minutes later, this time assisted by Juraj Faith and Slava Koulikov. Lightning goalie Alex Mettam would probably like both goals back. A fairly even period ended with the visitors taking their two goal lead to the locker room.

Tom Duggan failed to appear for the second period, still troubled by his shoulder injury but Phoenix soldiered on and with six minutes gone in the second period, a third goal for Phoenix sent the large contingent of Phoenix fans into raptures. The in-form Slava Koulikov scored with an assist from captain Luke Boothroyd.

There was no more scoring in the period as Phoenix played the perfect road game, closing down the shooting lanes thus reducing Lightning to long range efforts that Stephen Fone dealt with comfortably.

The third saw Lightning come more into the game but the Phoenix rearguard were having a huge game and spent most of the period picking off passes in mid ice and setting up the counter attack. With 90 seconds left on the clock, Martin Cingel rounded off an excellent evening with his hat trick goal, assisted by James Archer and James Neil. Milton Keynes broke a deserved shut out for Fone with just 13 seconds to go when Blaz Emersic scored, but by this time the points were in the bag and most of the home crowd had gone home. Final score 4-1 to Phoenix

A very good win for Phoenix to end the year. With most of their injured players on the mend, this win bodes well for the Phoenix faithful as the team go into 2012 on a high.

Coach Hand said after the game: “A fantastic performance by the lads. It is never easy to win here. Stephen Fone came up big when we needed it and the team played an intelligent game all night to earn the points. That is three wins in a row and takes us into the New Year on a high.”