Cingel hat-trick lifts Phoenix past Lightning

Manchester Phoenix 4-2 Milton Keynes Lightning

Martin Cingel fired in a treble for Manchester Phoenix against Milton Keynes Lightning on Sunday night and secured a Cup semi final place in the process.

Phoenix, who were thrashed 9-0 on Saturday by Slough Jets, bounced back with an impressive performance against a strong Lightning team who have already beaten Tony Hand’s side 5-2 earlier in the season.

Ciaran Long opened the scoring for the home side in the 7th minute when he connected with a Tom Duggan pass whilst crashing the net which left Lightning netminder Alex Mettam little chance.

Cingel doubled Phoenix’s lead before the first break, but the Lightning cut the deficit early in the second period with a Leigh Jamieson power-play goal.

Jamieson then netted the equalizer, again on the power-play in the 46th minute setting up a tense final ten minutes. But with Phoenix needing nothing less than a win to secure a Cup semi final place, Cingel struck twice in five minutes.

The first came from an impossible angle, banking the puck off the inside of Mettam’s leg from the left boards whilst his hat trick goal was worked from behind the net with Phoenix debutant James Spurr.

Player coach Tony Hand said: “I’m proud of the guys, and it’s nice to go into Christmas on the back of a thrilling win.

“I’m delighted for the fans that have stuck by us, cheered us on through thick and thin. This was a huge performance and it was for them.”