Blackburn Hawks 0 Manchester Phoenix 8

Manchester Phoenix put their league woes behind them with another comprehensive Challenge Cup win over neighbours Blackburn Hawks on Sunday night.

Phoenix took two vital cup points in a feisty derby game in Blackburn that provided a vital distraction from a league campaign that has come off the rails in recent weeks. They came into the game having lost their last five league encounters, including back to back home defeats in the week preceding this cup match. The previous weekend they were desperately unlucky to lose in overtime against league leaders Telford Tigers, but the following Thursday they put in a poor performance that saw them three goals down after just 16 minutes against Peterborough Phantoms and despite a late fightback they lost 4-3.

It was a different matter against the Hawks, whom Phoenix had trounced 12-5 at home two weeks earlier. It took them just over three minutes to take the lead when Frankie Bakrlik hit a trade mark howitzer past Stuart Ashton in the Hawks’ net, and they doubled their lead three minutes later when Adam Walker was in the right place at the right time to send the puck into the net. Wave after wave of Phoenix attacks paid dividends twice more before the end of the first period with goals from Robin Kovar and Shaun Thompson. Blackburn worked hard and kept Declan Ryan busy but they could not match Phoenix for clinical finishing.

The second period started with Blackburn upping the pace and they had a couple of chances before Ben Wood scored a fifth for Phoenix on 28.46. Phoenix made it 6-0 at the half way stage of the match with Thompson’s second of the evening.

The third period began with a much more physical Blackburn approach and the game boiled over on 44 minutes when Hawks’ Pavel Slowik slashed Bobby Chamberlain, who retaliated aggressively. The two of them appeared ready for a bout of fisticuffs, however after a bit of posturing Chamberlain brought Slowik to the ice and both men hit the penalty box for six minutes. While this was going on, nobody had noticed Thompson slot the puck home prior to the tussle for his hat-trick goal. The shenanigans were not finished and two minutes later Frankie Bakrlik and ex Phoenix forward Jake Nurse came together and the Phoenix man got the better of his opponent as he completed the “Gordie Howe hat trick” of a goal, assist and a fight. Both men sat four minutes in the box for roughing. Phoenix had time to make it 8-0 with a delightful Adam Walker goal.

Phoenix Coach Tony Hand said after the game: “We had a job to do tonight and I thought we did it professionally and confidently. It was important we started converting our chances and we certainly did this. Now we will start work on next weekend where we have tough games in Bracknell and at home to Basingstoke.

Phoenix are next in home action on Sunday night against Basingstoke Bison and the game starts at 5:30pm.