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Buzzer Report: Swindon Wildcats 5 Manchester Phoenix 3
Just a week after leaving Deeside on the back of a 5-0 whitewash defeat, Swindon Wildcats made sure to settle the score when Manchester arrived in SN5. Rink-side was Total Sport's Ben Callaghan, who witnessed the Cats extinguish the Phoenix flame.
Swindon returned to home ice on Saturday and successfully avenged the 5-0 loss to Manchester from last weekend with a massive 5-3 win. In what was a fantastic advert for EPL hockey, Swindon scored two late goals to ensure the points remained in Wiltshire.
Swindon started the game flying and created chances early on. Tomasz Malasinski broke through on goal but was taken down by Mark Thomas and Stefan Hogarth awarded the Cats a penalty shot. Fone threw a leg save to stop the puck going over the line. Swindon didn't waste time to take the lead. At 3:13 player-coach Aaron Nell bounced the puck into the net after a rebound fell onto his stick, with the assists going to Jonas Höög and Stevie Whitfield.
Both sides created numerous first period chances but it would be a night for the goalies with Stevie Lyle and Stephen Fone making stunning saves between the pipes. The opening period came to a close with the Cats holding the narrow single goal lead.
The middle period saw Manchester get a stronger foot in the game. Michael Satek tested Lyle from distance before the Phoenix tied the game up at 31:28 when Stanislav Gron poked the puck home after a loose piece of Swindon defending.
The game would be tied for a matter of seconds before Swindon retook the lead through an unlikely name on the scoresheet. Neil Liddiard and Jonas Höög combined to find Matt Selby on the blue-line and the Birmingham youngster fired high into the top corner of the net to send the home fans wild.
At 36:18 Swindon made it a two goal cushion when Jonas Höög got his name on the scoresheet. The Swede, who'd had a hand in both prior goals, was rewarded for his hard work with a shot from close range that sneaked under the pad of Fone into the net. Aaron Nell and Lee Richardson getting the assists on the goal.
With less than two minutes remaining in the period Robin Kovar gave the Phoenix hope. Another small defensive error saw the Czech skate in and fire through the legs of Lyle. The second period finished 3-2 in favour of the cats and the home side out shooting Phoenix 36-11 through two periods.
Swindon knew they had to play solid to ensure they took the points. Lyle and in particular Fone were stopping everything coming in their direction with both netminders making stunning glove saves.
Martin Baranek went close for Manchester before they did eventually tie the contest up at 53:41. Stevie Lyle stopped the puck from Robin Kovar but Michael Satek whacked the loose puck into the net despite the Wildcats team thinking the puck had been frozen.
With the game destined for overtime Swindon found a way for two late goals to fly in through familiar names in Tomasz Malasinski and captain Jan Kostal. The 4th goal saw Malasinski convert a big slapshot from Aaron Nell into the top corner of the net with a lovely tip in front of the net.
Kostal's goal was earned through sheer hard work with the Cats leader moving the puck around the Phoenix defence and finding room on the blocker side of Fone to complete the 5-3 win.
A game the Cats will be pleased with the way they came back from the 5-0 drubbing in Manchester the weekend before. Sunday evening sees Swindon travel to Sheffield to take on the Steeldogs.
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