Phoenix title down to the wire as Jets fly by.

Manchester Phoenix 4-6 Slough Jets

Tony Hand’s Manchester Phoenix will have to wait until the final weekend of the regular season to lift the EPL title after losing 6-4 to Slough Jets on Thursday.

Phoenix, who bounced back with a 6-5 win against Milton Keynes Lightning on Saturday, need one point from their remaining two games against Peterborough and Swindon.

On Thursday, Phoenix went down against Slough at the Altrincham Ice Dome in a tight game that was only decided in the final minute as the Jets struck an empty net goal.

Goals from Ben Morgan and Tony Hand were countered by strikes by Darius Pliskauskas and Nicky Watt leaving the teams even at the first break.

Morgan again gave Phoenix the lead in the middle session but a mix up between netminder Steve Fone and Pavel Gomeniuk left Shaun Thompson to score shorthanded for the visitors.

Curtis Huppe restored the home sides lead going into the final period but the Jets came out flying in the third period scoring twice through Adam Calder and Pliskauskas before sealing the win with an empty net strike as Phoenix pushed forward.

Player coach Hand said: “We lost concentration at times, and we were punished. We played some great hockey and so did the Jets, but this is a wakeup call to everyone that there is still everything to play for, and we cannot lose focus at this stage of the campaign.”

Phoenix travel to Peterborough on Saturday, where a win would seal the league title before entertaining Swindon Wildcats at home on Sunday in the final regular season game.