On-fire Phoenix sink Lightning for 8 straight wins

Manchester Phoenix 6-3 Milton Keynes Lightning

A three goal blitz in the third period secured another two points and an eighth consecutive win for Manchester Phoenix on Sunday against Milton Keynes.

Phoenix, who shut-out Basingstoke 5-0 in Hampshire on Saturday, beat the Lightning for the third time in their current eight-game winning streak and Tom Duggan scored a double on his return to the line up.

Duggan opened the scoring early for Phoenix before Adam Carr quickly pulled the visitors level. Martin Cingel then set up Duggan for a shorthanded goal to give the home side the lead at the first interval.

Lightning came back strong in the second period and equalised through Juraj Gracik on the power-play before Juraj Faith and Grant McPherson traded goals to leave the teams tied at 3-3 going into the final period.

Phoenix broke the deadlock with the game winning goal in the 45th minute when Ben Wood fired a quick snap shot that trickled through the pads of Lightning netminder Alex Mettam and further goals from Jaroslav Spelda and Ladislav Harabin saw Phoenix out of sight.

Player coach Tony Hand said: “Games against the Lightning are never dull, and this was another superb evening’s entertainment for the fans.

“We are on fire right now, and this sets us up perfectly for two crunch games against Guildford Flames next weekend.”