Phoenix Get Their Wings Clipped

• Belfast Giants vs Manchester Phoenix, W 6-2
• Giants Goals: Campbell, Cameron, Christie, Lewis, Dutes, Sutter
• Phoenix Goals: Starke, Stauffacher

The Coors Belfast Giants continued their quest to catch the Coventry Blaze when they played host to the Manchester Phoenix in front of a sizeable crowd last night at the Odyssey. The Giants would run out winners after an eventful game and have now won an astounding 12 straight games in a row.

The game started brightly for both teams with the respective player/coaches leading the charge. After only a few minutes there were a couple of soft penalties, Gavalier receiving 2 minutes for holding, and shortly after, Passmore receiving 2 minutes for tripping. On the resultant Giants powerplay, Soupy Peter Campbell would open the scoring with an unassisted strike. The Giants lead did not last long and the scores were evened up fairly quickly by Starke on 12.59 on a Phoenix powerplay, Gavalier again in the penalty box, this time for hooking.

Into the second period and both teams were creating chances but it was Stevie Lyle who changed the face of the game. The Giants goaltender made a momentum changing save off a penalty shot after Trevor Johnson was deemed to have fouled a Phoenix player rushing in on net. The Giants then forged ahead thanks to an opportune finish by Dutes after a Shane Johnson shot was saved by Fankhouser, and after this the party really started. Lewis had just put a revenge hit on the usually untouchable Tony Hand (Courtenay had earlier been hammered into the boards by Clouthier), and a minor skirmish ensued.

It was clear from the next face-off that Clouthier and Lewis were going to duke it out at centre ice. And so, after a long time waiting, the Giants fans finally got to see Lewis in a proper fight that lasted long enough for both protagonists to land plenty of punches. Clouthier nearly had Lewis down, but he recovered and landed a few bombs before both players tired and hooked into each other. A narrow victory to Lewis.

Then a mere twelve seconds later, Mark "The Mo-Train" Morrison got tangled up with Luke Stauffacher and the second fight of the night began. A clear victory to the Mo-train in this one, with Stauffacher coming off the ice bloodied, and forcing an early end to the second period while the Zamboni came on to clean up the ice. When the second period re-started, Lewis Christie was on hand to extend the Giants lead after some sublime work from Dutiaume.

Both coaches must have told their respective teams to concentrate on the hockey, as there were, rather surprisingly no more penalties called in the rest of the game! The Giants concentration was obviously better as the lead was stretched to 4 goals thanks to superb finishes from Lewis and Dutiaume. The battered Luke Stauffacher redeemed himself with a goal for the Manchester Phoenix midway through the third period, but the Giants restored the 4 goal lead after some sterling work by Lewis and Awada gave Scott Cameron the chance to score his fifteenth goal of the season.

Dutiaume received yet another MoM award and it was completely deserved for his outstanding workrate and finishing. And one point to note, this was Ed Courtenay's first point-less game since....ever? Finally it appears that all of the forward lines seem to be gelling in time for a good run at the playoffs, possibly even the league title. The Coors Belfast Giants travel to face the Nottingham Panthers in another must win game. Will the Giants make it a lucky 13?

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