Ice Hockey - Manchester Phoenix reports for March 8 edition (From Messenger Newspapers)

Ice Hockey - Manchester Phoenix reports for March 8 edition

9:42am Monday 4th March 2013 in Sport

Manchester Phoenix 4-3 Guildford Flames (8-9 agg) Manchester Phoenix 6-2 Basingstoke Bison HOT shot Michal Psurny netted four goals in back to back home wins to help Manchester Phoenix return to their best against the leagues top two sides last weekend.

Phoenix, however, missed out on a place in the Cup final despite beating Guildford on Saturday as they went down on aggregate 9-8 over two legs.

Goals from Psurny (2), Ondrej Pozivil and James Archer saw Phoenix pushed the game to a tense finale on Saturday, but Tony Hand’s side were unable to find the goal to take the game to an extra period.

On Sunday, Psurny struck twice in a 6-2 rout of second place Basingstoke. Phoenix, who had not beaten the Bison in five previous attempts this season, flew out of the blocks in front of a sell out home crowd and took an early two goal lead through Psurny and Tom Duggan.

Bison reduced the deficit late in the first period and equalized mid way through the second period before another quick double from the home side restored their two goal lead First, Andy McKinney finished off a neat move with Liam Chong by rounding Bison netminder Stevie Lyle for a 3-2 lead and seconds later Joachim Flaten struck Phoenix’s fourth.

Further goals from Psurny and Archer saw Phoenix out of sight in the final period ensuring Manchester’s first win over Basingstoke as they start building momentum towards the end of season playoffs.