A weakened Manchester Phoenix found six games in eight nights tough going over the weekend, chalking up two defeats despite the best possible start on Saturday night.
Against Hull Stingrays on Saturday, with long-term injury worry Ales Parez still missing from the line-up, the Phoenix cause was further hampered by the loss of Joe Miller in the pre-game warm-up period and with Matt Rich struggling with a strain, the home side were down to eleven fit skaters.
Phoenix got the perfect start though as Brett Clouthier got a telling deflection to a David Vychodil blast with just over three minutes on the clock, only for the Stingrays to draw level barely 36 seconds later as Jeff Glowa bagged the first of a personal brace. The Phoenix were lacking their normal jump and it was the Stingrays who enjoyed the better possession in the first session that they took as Slava Koulikov thrashed home a second marker in the 14th minute off a great pass from Sergei Kharchenko.
The second period saw Phoenix trying to raise their game, but the fatigue of playing their fifth game in seven nights was a factor as the Stingrays were able to cope with the offensive rushes. Phoenix finally drew level in the 29th minute as player/coach Tony Hand and Radoslav Hecl combined to set up leading scorer Johan Molin for his 32nd goal of the season. Phoenix had chances to regain the lead but Tom Chamberlain in the Hull goal produced fine saves to deny Vychodil from the blue line and Phoenix captain Scott Basiuk.
Early in the third period, Derek Campbell missed a glorious chance to put the Phoenix back in front, before Chamberlain again denied Basiuk and Vychodil with the Phoenix on a 5-on-3-powerplay opportunity. Hull killed the penalties and punished the Phoenix as Glowa bagged his second of the game in the 52md minute with a rasping shot into the top corner. Phoenix threw everything they could muster at Hull in the final minutes and with the Stingrays running into late penalty trouble, Phoenix withdrew goalie Jason Wolfe for an extra skater in the final minute, but to no avail.
Phoenix forward Brett Clouthier commented: "We lacked a little energy tonight as well as three guys. We never really got going and that's disappointing for the fans who came to see us.
Phoenix went down to the Nottingham Panthers on Sunday night, but despite the loss earned the praise of coach Tony Hand for the effort and entertainment value given.
Hand said: "We gave a tremendous effort tonight to fight back from two-nil down and at two apiece it was anybody's game. We had our chances but right now, we just need one or two bounces to go our way. I cannot fault the effort from the players tonight and I think the reaction of the fans speaks volumes, they were with us right to the end and again, but for the empty-net goal in the final seconds, we're been involved in another one-goal game."
Phoenix went into the game still missing injured forwards Ales Parez and Joe Miller and with Matt Rich again unable to take a regular shift. However, the energy that appeared missing on Saturday had returned to the Phoenix limbs and the shortened bench all played their part in a fast and competitive first period that saw Johan Molin crash a shot against a post in the opening minute but which ended goalless.
Panthers broke the deadlock in the second minute of the second period at Matus Petricko scored and things looked bleak for the Phoenix when Joe Cardarelli netted a second marker four minutes later. But, Phoenix rolled up their sleeves and in the 30th minute, great interpassing between Johan Molin and Tony Hand saw the player coach set up the shot for David Vychodil and the Czech defenceman blasted home from the blue line. Phoenix again picked up the pace and four minutes later a superb left wing chase by Derek Campbell saw him fire the puck across the goal mouth for Johan Molin to crash home from close range. The Phoenix fans erupted and it was the visitors who were glad to hear the hooter to end the second session.
Panthers lost Jan Krajicek at the start of the third period, but with fresher legs, they attacked the Phoenix hard from the start with Jason Wolfe called on to make a great save from Joe Cardarelli as he broke in one-on-one with the Phoenix goalie. With Phoenix on a powerplay in the 46th minute, the attack broke down and Panthers broke down the ice with Petricko netting his second of the game to restore the visitors' lead. Derek Campbell then missed a glorious chance to again tie the score before Panthers Corey Neilson was denied by a post. In the final minute, Phoenix pulled Wolfe for the extra skater only for Sean McAslan to complete the scoring with a second attempt on the unguarded net.
Phoenix have home games on Wednesday night against the Coventry Blaze and Thursday when they'll go looking for revenge over the Hull Stingrays for the 2-3 reversal last Saturday.
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