Mixed start for Phoenix
Date published: 01 September 2008
MANCHESTER Phoenix got off to a mixed, but promising, start in their two ice hockey challenge games at the weekend.
With one eye on next week’s Elite Ice Hockey League opener, they beat one of the title favourites Nottingham 7-5 and lost in Cardiff 4-3.
Manchester went into the weekend without four of their new imported players who were back in their homelands awaiting work permits.
That meant a shuffled team for player/coach Tony Hand and a lot of youth brought up from the ranks.
Yesterday, Manchester and Nottingham put on a show for the fans in Altrincham - tying a good game up at 5-5 before the Phoenix scored twice through Nathan Ward and David Beauregard.
Manchester’s other goals came from Adam Walker (2), Hand, Ward and Alex Dunn.
On Saturday, Walker notched up a hat-trick in Phoenix’ 4-3 loss to the new-look Cardiff Devils. Goals from Mike Prpich, Brad Voth and a Derek Campbell double edged the game for the Devils.
