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Manchester Phoenix 5-4 Peterborough Phantoms (After Overtime)
Leading scorer Ed Courtenay stepped back into the line-up on Saturday night and steered Manchester Phoenix past Peterborough Phantoms with two goals and an assist, ending Phoenix’s four game losing skid.
The ex-NHL winger scored deep into overtime to seal the points after his side surrendered a two goal lead in the third period.
It was the Phantoms, on their second visit to the Ice Dome this season, who scored first through ex-Phoenix forward Joe Miller in the 7th minute in a period that again seemed to show the defensive frailties in the Phoenix team. The lack of organisation in their own zone should have cost them more but for the play of goaltender Steve Fone as the Phantoms outshot their hosts.
The second period saw a complete turnaround as it was the Phoenix that flew from the blocks, two goals in a minute saw them take the lead, Jaakko Hagelberg and Robert Lachowicz both netting before the 24 minute mark. Adam Walker added a third strike in the 32nd minute and Steve Fone managed to keep the Phantoms at bay during a late surge.
The final period saw Phoenix relinquish their two goal cushion as a second goal from Joe Miller and a shorthanded effort from James Knight saw the Phantoms level. A minute later the Phoenix were back in front, Courtenay swept home his first of the night on the powerplay only for James Morgan to equalize again for the visitors in the 54th minute.
Phoenix had a great chance to seal the game in the overtime period as Joe Miller was penalised for the Phantoms, but netminder Stephen Wall saved everything the Phoenix forwards could throw at him. However after the powerplay expired Ed Courtenay was left alone at the back post and duly netted the game winning goal off a pass from Iain Bowie.
Commenting after the match Tony Hand said, “Peterborough gave us a battle tonight, they’re much stronger now than they were earlier in the season and we had to dig deep. Foney made some big saves for us tonight, in fact both goalies played well.”
Manchester Phoenix 6-7 Slough Jets (After Overtime)
Tony Hand’s Manchester Phoenix fought bravely on Sunday night at the Altrincham Ice Dome only to see all their hard work undone by Slough captain Blaz Emersic as he netted five times for the visitors including the winner in sudden-death overtime.
Phoenix, who were without leading scorer Ed Courtenay, have seen the Milton Keynes Lightning take over first place in the English Premier League, and are now in danger of slipping further down the table after this home defeat.
Hand commented afterwards, “Nobody should count us out of this title race just yet, there’s a lot of hockey to be played and we will bounce back when we’ve got our full line-up available.”
It was however, the home-side that started brightest with Adam Walker and Iain Bowie both scoring within two minutes before Emersic netted his first of the night in the 5th minute.
Tony Hand scored twice for Phoenix in the second period, whilst Emersic completed his hat-trick and Dan Davies added another for the Jets.
Davies added his second of the night for Slough early in the third and seemingly sealed the win for the Jets. But a late penalty gave Phoenix the chance they needed, Adam Walker bagged his second of the night on the powerplay and a minute later Robert Lachowicz scored to tie the score at 6-6.
Phoenix’s energy carried over into the extra period but they could not find a way through the Slough defence and Blaz Emersic smashed his fifth goal of the night past Steve Fone in emphatic style to seal the extra point.
Manchester Phoenix 5-1 Guildford Flames
A double strike from player coach Tony Hand and a first goal for defenceman Ryan Johnson helped Manchester Phoenix dispatch the Guildford Flames on Saturday night, despite being five first team players down.
Phoenix, still without injured starting netminder Steve Fone, were also without the services of Iain Bowie, Robert Lachowicz, James Neil and Joe Graham who left on Friday to play for the Great Britian under 20’s team in Hungary.
Tony Hand filled the gaps with five players from the English National League Max Drakeley, Andy McKinney, John Murray, Jake Nurse and netminder Declyn Ryan making their debuts and they more than held their own in the final minutes.
Phoenix got off to the perfect start with Jaakko Hagelberg netting with a blast from the slot which Flames netminder Mark Lee found to hot to handle. The Flames equalized through Martin Masa in the 12th minute before Phoenix took control with two quick goals. Adam Walker fired a perfect wrist-shot into the top corner of the net, which was followed by a lucky goal for coach Hand as his pass across the front of the net deflected off Flames player coach Paul Dixon into the net.
Phoenix never looked back, early in the second period, Ryan Johnson added a fourth goal, his first for the club, before Hand added his second of the night to see Phoenix extend their lead to 5-1. The final period saw the Phoenix ease off the pressure as the Flames were a well beaten side and both netminders, Lee and Adam Summerfield in the home net prevented any further changes to the scoreboard.
Hand commented after the match, “We knew we’d have to be focussed against a good Guildford side and tonight was arguably as good as we’ve played all season. I thought we dominated the game and with some better finishing, could have won by a bigger margin.”
Manchester Phoenix 5-4 Milton Keynes Lightning (After Overtime)
Manchester Phoenix captain Luke Boothroyd completed another stunning weekend for the league leaders this weekend with an overtime winner against the Milton Keynes Lightning.
Phoenix gained another valuable four point weekend with two come from behind victories as they defeated Bracknell Bee’s away on Saturday night before beating a tough Lightning team on Sunday. On both occasions, Phoenix found themselves 4-1 down and they managed to turn both games around to win 5-4.
Tony Hand commented, “At 4-1 down, we could have let our heads drop, but the team simply rolled up their sleeves and gave it their all. That’s two nights on the trot we’ve had to battle back from a deficit, the guys are showing a belief in themselves that as a coach is so pleasing to see.”
Back-up netminder Adam Summerfield continued in goal for both matches and in the third period on Sunday, showed great determination to keep the Phoenix come-back on course.
Goals from Adam Brittle, Michael Farn and Monir Kalgoum (2) had put the visitors firmly in control, with only a lone Adam Walker strike on the board for Phoenix late in the second period. Two strikes in less than thirty seconds from the home side reduced the deficit drastically. Firstly Andre Mattsson fired home on a 5 on 3 powerplay before Adam Walker netted his second goal of the night.
In what was a tight third period, the only goal came on the power-play, the hardworking Jaakko Hagelberg deflecting an Ed Courtenay shot past a helpless Barry Hollyhead in the Lightning net to tie the scores at 4-4 and send the game into overtime.
Both teams received matching penalties in the extra period and the resulting 3 on 3 saw plenty of ice to be used and the Phoenix duly capitalised, Tony Hand and Courtenay setting up Luke Boothroyd down the left wing and his snapped effort flew through Hollyhead to seal a fantastic victory.
Manchester Phoenix 6-4 Basingstoke Bison
Nineteen year old back-up netminder Adam Summerfield led Manchester Phoenix to a 6-4 home victory on Sunday over Basingstoke in his first start for the English Premier League team.
First choice netminder Steve Fone suffered a dislocated shoulder during victory away at Swindon on Saturday, leaving Summerfield to see out the final ten minutes.
Summerfield said, “I knew I’d be starting because of the shoulder injury to Steve, I enjoyed the experience, but was nervous in case I let my team and myself down.”
Phoenix led from the start as they looked to give their young shot-stopper some breathing room, Adam Walker bagged an early double before the Bison found their way past the debutant in the 15th minute through Steve Moria.
A second period hat-trick from Ed Courtenay, including a short-handed goal, helped Phoenix to a 5-3 lead going into the final period where the teams traded a goal each, Hagelberg netting for the hosts.
Player coach Tony Hand added, “The loss of Steve Fone to the shoulder injury gives us a problem, but young Adam stepped up and did an excellent job for us. He made some very good saves and I’m sure he’ll be even keener to practise this week.”
Manchester Phoenix 3-1 Milton Keynes Lightning
After a disappointing result in Romford on Saturday night, the Manchester Phoenix stormed back to form with a hard earned victory over the Milton Keynes Lightning at the Ice Dome on Sunday night.
With the away team having won on both occasions previous to this match up, the Phoenix were looking to break the trend whilst also hoping to hold onto top spot in the English Premier League. The Phoenix took the lead in the 8th minute through Robert Lachowicz as he netted from close range after good work on the powerplay by Jaakko Hagelberg and Luke Boothroyd.
This would prove to be the only goal through the opening two periods as both teams found the netminders in spectacular form, Steve Fone in the Manchester net proving his worth whilst putting Saturdays 8-3 loss behind him and Barry Hollyhead in the Lightning net continued to thwart everything Phoenix through at him.
The breakthrough finally came in the 47th minute when the Phoenix doubled their lead through Hagelberg as he sneaked the puck under Hollyhead from in close. Steve Fone lost his shut-out bid in the 56th minute as the Lightning’s Adam Carr netted after stepping out of the penalty box. The Phoenix however, even when on the penalty kill in the dying minutes never looked like conceding further and Ed Courtaney sealed the victory with an empty net goal.
Player coach Tony Hand noted after the match, “Where we were not very good on Saturday, we were very good tonight. We defended well tonight, probably our best penalty killing of the season so far and overall, every single player showed up, played his part and I thought whilst Milton Keynes gave us a great game, we were the better side and deserved the points”
Manchester Phoenix 4-2 Peterborough Phantoms
Ed Courtenay secured Manchester Phoenix’s fifth straight victory on Saturday night, but not before a strong third period fight-back from the reigning champions.
Phoenix, sporting special Children in Need jerseys, took a quick two goal lead after a clever wrap-around goal from Iain Bowie in the 3rd minute was followed by a flowing move from Tony Hand and Ed Courtenay that left Adam Walker the easiest of finishes from close range.
Jaakko Hagelberg put the Phoenix 3-0 up in the 47th minute on the powerplay with a goal that left Phantoms netminder Stephen Wall shaking his head. Phoenix then let comfort get the better of them as the Phantoms scored twice in 81secs through Warren Tait and James Knight.
It was then left to Courtenay, with help from Hagelberg, to ease the home nerves as he crashed home a rebound goal with little over a minute remaining.
Player coach Tony Hand commented “I was impressed with the way Peterborough kept coming back at us. That said, I thought we’d played well enough to put the game beyond them before they scored. It was a good solid performance again from the guys and with a little bit of luck, we could have won by a bigger margin.”
