EPL PLAYOFF FINAL 2013
EPL PLAYOFF FINAL 2013
GUILDFORD
FLAMES 2 - 5 MANCHESTER PHOENIX
Sunday saw the end of the EPL SEASON as the finale of the 2013 season saw the Manchester Phoenix lift the final silverware of the season and in the process stopped Guildford Flames sweeping the board and completing a treble as the Manchester side beat the League and Cup champions 5-2 at the Skydome arena in Coventry.
Both side had face faced tough opposition to make it this far as the Flames beat the MK Lightning 3-2 in the semi final just creeping over the finishing line having been outplayed for the majority of the game, Guildford knew if they harboured any remote chance of taking the Playoff trophy they would need to play a damn sight better than they did the day before as by their standards they were pretty poor but as said in the Semi final blog Champions find ways to pull it out of the bag when it`s needed to and that’s what they did.
Manchester played out a fantastic 5-4 shootout win against Basingstoke Bison in a classic semi final encounter, in which the game was back and forth with both sides having chances and making it the most exciting game to watch from the 2 semi finals played Saturday. Phoenix hoped if they played with the drive and determination they showed then they could beat and upset Guildford in the final as the Flames were the favourites for the grand final.
Record between the two teams over the season was split 3 games pieces in the league though for couple of the games Phoenix were without starting net minder Steve Fone as he was injury with a groin and knee injury and was playing their back up net minders. So with that the anticipation of the grand final was growing as the crowd was whipped into a frenzy by the arena announcer and then we had the battle of the 2 sets of fans with the Guildford flames fans singing and cheering and then Manchester Phoenix fans responding with their own chanting and singing and the arena was rocking from both sets of fans cheering on their own side as both teams made their way on to the ice to a massive ovation by the crowd and the big game feel was kicking in now.
The teams were introduced to the fans one by one as they skated to the blue line in readiness for the national anthem to be played. As the players skated away to their benches the noise was getting louder as the Flames fans sung " Let`s go Guildford" and the Manchester fans bellowed "PHOE- NIX", the neutral fans were all in support of Manchester as the fans from the other teams gave another rendition that was sung repeatedly all playoffs by the oppositions fans of "Anyone but Guildford!". So it was time to drop the puck as referee Thompson dropped and the EPL PLAYOFF Final was off.
1ST Period
Manchester came out on fire as they dominated the final from start to end, Manchester attacked Guildford right from the off as they pressured them in their zone and was almost camped in Flames zone as they took full control of the final. Phoenix carried on from where they left off in the semi final, as they punished the flames with great board play and good passing between them and was tearing them apart. Guildford were playing much in the same vain as they were against Milton Keynes where they started slowly and took them late on to get any type of momentum going, Even though Phoenix were the best side and in complete control they knew they couldn`t just rest on their laurels as Guildford had players given half a chance to change a game in a second.
Phoenix was peppering the Flames net and Mark Lee was trying his best to stop the onslaught of Phoenix attacks as they were smothering the double winners with ease in the first period. Steve Fone when called upon was doing his job well as he stopped the rubber hitting twine. First penalty of the game came against the player coach of Phoenix, as Tony Hand sat for INTERFERENCE at 6-55 and so gave the Flames a chance to get back in the game with a power play. Flames power play was moving the puck well and the Phoenix defences had to do their job and they did with aplomb as they quelled any danger by the Guildford forwards and especially Fone who was making save upon save.
Phoenix then found themselves on the power play after Guildford were deemed to have TOO MANY MEN on the ice at 8-56 so the Power play unit came out and they were moving it fantastically, pulling Flames over and Flaten went close when he struck the outside of the post and Michal Psurny and Tony Hand down by the corner was keeping the puck moving and trying to build offense. Psurny and Flaten was recycling the puck as the penalty kill was struggling to clear or just wrestle control from them, Then Phoenix broke the deadlock as Flaten found Hand who threw it far side and Luke Boothroyd put it home high pass Lee to give Phoenix a well deserved lead at 9-55 for a power play goal. The goal meant a lot as the player’s energy were looking energized by the goal.
Guildford looked like a side that was drained and at a loss as plays were sloppy and Lee wasn`t playing to his high standards though the net minder did make some great saves to deny Phoenix pulling away and keep it at a one goal game. Rick Skene then headed to the penalty box as he was given 2 minutes for TRIPPING that timed at 11-30. Phoenix pressed on the power play but they reverted to their old ways as they hardly made any in roads on the man advantage.
End of the period came and Phoenix were bullying the Flames and the Guildford contingent would probably have took a slim 1 goal deficit as they headed into the first intermission as they could easily have been out of sight Manchester with the chances and near chances they had.
2nd PERIOD.
---------------
Second period carried on from the first as Manchester was still having its own way with the League and cup winners as Guildford definitely weren`t going at all and this was looking a lot like their semi final as they were outplayed and out classed by Phoenix. So when they were caught for an ICING INFRACTION they thought this was just getting better as we had only played 34 seconds of the 2nd period. Guildford then had a chance to turn the game as they went on the power play after Andy McKinney was adjudged to have caught a Flames player with an arm as he checked him in the boards, so he sat for ELBOWING at 23-36.
Guildford started a mini revival as they were getting into their groove as they had Phoenix players in a pickle but they found they had a bigger problem in Fone keeping net, as all their attempts were dealt with easily by Fone and he was called upon many times to come to Manchester`s rescue when players had slipped and they broke away on extra man advantage, the Sheffield born shot stopper was equal to the task and blocked their advances and there was times they looked to each other thinking "what do we have to do?!".
Phoenix doubled their lead as Bari McKenzie chased down a loose puck as Phoenix found themselves on a 2 on 1 McKenzie found Archer skating in and his one timer shot went high in the net and the Skydome erupted as Phoenix fans celebrated and fans from other sides were joining with the celebrations and were rubbing it in Flames fans faces with the "Anyone but Guildford!" chant again. Archer goal gave Manchester a 2-0 lead at 26-37.
Phoenix always knew that Guildford would come back at them and they did but Fone was seeing the puck like a beach ball as he turned away and stopped every effort made by the Flames to get on the scoreboard. He made a string of top draw saves and some that you only make when luck and confidence is high. Richard Bentham then was called for TRIPPING at 34-36, Guildford really were pushing hard for a goal and when Fone and the defence which have to say did an outstanding job cutting passes out and defending stoutly. So with them getting frustrated with the Phoenix net minder being a brick wall it was made worse when Michal Psurny added a 3rd goal to the Phoenix tally as he scored it short handed and that seemed to break the spirit of the Surrey based outfit as a 3-0 lead looked insurmountable even to them. Liam Chong grabbed an assist on Psurny goal and it was a matter of how many it seemed then as looked broken the Flames now.
The period ended with Phoenix fans rising to their feet saluting their heroes as they went to the locker room 3-0 up and on course for their first silverware since 2011 when they won the League championship.
3rd Period
-----------
Everyone wondered how the 3rd would play out would it be a dull one with both sides going through the motions or would the Flames launch one last rally to try and force a way back into this contest, we got our answer 40 seconds into the 3rd as Josef Kohut set up Nathan Rempel and so pulled one back for a 3-1 score line at 40-40
Tony Hand then shot the puck over the glass in his own zone for a DELAY OF GAME call and Guildford were finally gaining some momentum, However their power play didn`t last long as David Savage then got called for TRIPPING at 43-48. Both teams killed their penalties off before Joachim Flaten was then called for HIGH STICKS when the stick stayed before stomach height yet Pering the referee seemed to see something different to everyone else in the rink. That came at 45-32 and Guildford at this point in time was in the ascendancy now, so while passing the puck around in the Phoenix end by the forwards. Hand managed to knock it away and Phoenix broke with a breakaway Hand skated over the blue line and with space and time he looked up and buried it low far corner for a 4-1 lead at 47-09 and the champagne was on ice now as that was the killer goal by Manchester Phoenix player-coach.
Phoenix fans were starting to party already as they had both hands on the trophy and so when a few minutes later they were short handed again Pozivil had intercepted a pass by a Flames defenseman and passed it to his fellow Czech native and Michal Psurny buried it same corner as Hand did and the game was all but over bar the shouting as the Phoenix players leapt on Psurny as he had secured the Playoff trophy for them with still 10 minutes to go as he was timed at 49-49. Guildford responded straight away as Branislav Kvetan scored for 5-2 at 50-07 with assists going to Rempel and Longstaff. The celebrations were much muted as they seemed to have been playing just for pride now as they treble had tantalizingly slipped from their grasp at the final hurdle.
Guildford looked to try and score another one to try and put doubt in the Phoenix players minds, but with another TOO MANY MEN call it put paid to any hopes they had and as the clock ticked down Phoenix fans stood and clapped their team to victory and a shower of gloves, sticks and helmets lay strewn across the Phoenix zone, as the men from Manchester celebrated their first ever EPL Playoff victory and playoff win in their 10 year history. As a Manchester teams last playoff success came way back in 1996 when they were Storm and won the Promotion/ relegation playoffs.
So as the players lined up for the handshakes and celebrated the victory, the man of the match awards were given out to the players as Nathan Rempel got it for the Flames and for Phoenix it could only go to one player and that Steve Fone for one of the most incredible net minding displays in a final for many years. Players came up to receive their medals and after that was done Luke Boothroyd came to pick up the EPL Playoff trophy, Which led Guildford Flames player coach Paul Dixon to lead his men to the blue line and showing their class tapped their sticks in recognition of the Phoenix as champions, and the Phoenix responded by holding off their celebrations to return the favour and both sets of players warmly applauded the other side and led Phoenix fans to chant "GUILDFORD" as they came round to show their respect to the opposition and the Guildford fans clapped the Manchester fans and vice versa for the sportsmanship by both sets of fans.
The celebrations lasted long as the players celebrated their victory and as the Phoenix players skated off the ice to the locker room the owner Neil Morris gestured he thanks the fans from the bottom of his heart.
STATS:
PENALTY MINUTES:
Guildford flames: 10 Manchester Phoenix:10
SHOTS ON GOAL:
GUILDFORD :26 SHOTS
MANCHESTER: 32 SHOTS
NETMINDERS:
MARK LEE (Guildford) 32 shots 84.37% SAA
Steve Fone (Manchester) 26 shots 92.30% SAA
GUILDFORD
FLAMES 2 - 5 MANCHESTER PHOENIX
Sunday saw the end of the EPL SEASON as the finale of the 2013 season saw the Manchester Phoenix lift the final silverware of the season and in the process stopped Guildford Flames sweeping the board and completing a treble as the Manchester side beat the League and Cup champions 5-2 at the Skydome arena in Coventry.
Both side had face faced tough opposition to make it this far as the Flames beat the MK Lightning 3-2 in the semi final just creeping over the finishing line having been outplayed for the majority of the game, Guildford knew if they harboured any remote chance of taking the Playoff trophy they would need to play a damn sight better than they did the day before as by their standards they were pretty poor but as said in the Semi final blog Champions find ways to pull it out of the bag when it`s needed to and that’s what they did.
Manchester played out a fantastic 5-4 shootout win against Basingstoke Bison in a classic semi final encounter, in which the game was back and forth with both sides having chances and making it the most exciting game to watch from the 2 semi finals played Saturday. Phoenix hoped if they played with the drive and determination they showed then they could beat and upset Guildford in the final as the Flames were the favourites for the grand final.
Record between the two teams over the season was split 3 games pieces in the league though for couple of the games Phoenix were without starting net minder Steve Fone as he was injury with a groin and knee injury and was playing their back up net minders. So with that the anticipation of the grand final was growing as the crowd was whipped into a frenzy by the arena announcer and then we had the battle of the 2 sets of fans with the Guildford flames fans singing and cheering and then Manchester Phoenix fans responding with their own chanting and singing and the arena was rocking from both sets of fans cheering on their own side as both teams made their way on to the ice to a massive ovation by the crowd and the big game feel was kicking in now.
The teams were introduced to the fans one by one as they skated to the blue line in readiness for the national anthem to be played. As the players skated away to their benches the noise was getting louder as the Flames fans sung " Let`s go Guildford" and the Manchester fans bellowed "PHOE- NIX", the neutral fans were all in support of Manchester as the fans from the other teams gave another rendition that was sung repeatedly all playoffs by the oppositions fans of "Anyone but Guildford!". So it was time to drop the puck as referee Thompson dropped and the EPL PLAYOFF Final was off.
1ST Period
Manchester came out on fire as they dominated the final from start to end, Manchester attacked Guildford right from the off as they pressured them in their zone and was almost camped in Flames zone as they took full control of the final. Phoenix carried on from where they left off in the semi final, as they punished the flames with great board play and good passing between them and was tearing them apart. Guildford were playing much in the same vain as they were against Milton Keynes where they started slowly and took them late on to get any type of momentum going, Even though Phoenix were the best side and in complete control they knew they couldn`t just rest on their laurels as Guildford had players given half a chance to change a game in a second.
Phoenix was peppering the Flames net and Mark Lee was trying his best to stop the onslaught of Phoenix attacks as they were smothering the double winners with ease in the first period. Steve Fone when called upon was doing his job well as he stopped the rubber hitting twine. First penalty of the game came against the player coach of Phoenix, as Tony Hand sat for INTERFERENCE at 6-55 and so gave the Flames a chance to get back in the game with a power play. Flames power play was moving the puck well and the Phoenix defences had to do their job and they did with aplomb as they quelled any danger by the Guildford forwards and especially Fone who was making save upon save.
Phoenix then found themselves on the power play after Guildford were deemed to have TOO MANY MEN on the ice at 8-56 so the Power play unit came out and they were moving it fantastically, pulling Flames over and Flaten went close when he struck the outside of the post and Michal Psurny and Tony Hand down by the corner was keeping the puck moving and trying to build offense. Psurny and Flaten was recycling the puck as the penalty kill was struggling to clear or just wrestle control from them, Then Phoenix broke the deadlock as Flaten found Hand who threw it far side and Luke Boothroyd put it home high pass Lee to give Phoenix a well deserved lead at 9-55 for a power play goal. The goal meant a lot as the player’s energy were looking energized by the goal.
Guildford looked like a side that was drained and at a loss as plays were sloppy and Lee wasn`t playing to his high standards though the net minder did make some great saves to deny Phoenix pulling away and keep it at a one goal game. Rick Skene then headed to the penalty box as he was given 2 minutes for TRIPPING that timed at 11-30. Phoenix pressed on the power play but they reverted to their old ways as they hardly made any in roads on the man advantage.
End of the period came and Phoenix were bullying the Flames and the Guildford contingent would probably have took a slim 1 goal deficit as they headed into the first intermission as they could easily have been out of sight Manchester with the chances and near chances they had.
2nd PERIOD.
---------------
Second period carried on from the first as Manchester was still having its own way with the League and cup winners as Guildford definitely weren`t going at all and this was looking a lot like their semi final as they were outplayed and out classed by Phoenix. So when they were caught for an ICING INFRACTION they thought this was just getting better as we had only played 34 seconds of the 2nd period. Guildford then had a chance to turn the game as they went on the power play after Andy McKinney was adjudged to have caught a Flames player with an arm as he checked him in the boards, so he sat for ELBOWING at 23-36.
Guildford started a mini revival as they were getting into their groove as they had Phoenix players in a pickle but they found they had a bigger problem in Fone keeping net, as all their attempts were dealt with easily by Fone and he was called upon many times to come to Manchester`s rescue when players had slipped and they broke away on extra man advantage, the Sheffield born shot stopper was equal to the task and blocked their advances and there was times they looked to each other thinking "what do we have to do?!".
Phoenix doubled their lead as Bari McKenzie chased down a loose puck as Phoenix found themselves on a 2 on 1 McKenzie found Archer skating in and his one timer shot went high in the net and the Skydome erupted as Phoenix fans celebrated and fans from other sides were joining with the celebrations and were rubbing it in Flames fans faces with the "Anyone but Guildford!" chant again. Archer goal gave Manchester a 2-0 lead at 26-37.
Phoenix always knew that Guildford would come back at them and they did but Fone was seeing the puck like a beach ball as he turned away and stopped every effort made by the Flames to get on the scoreboard. He made a string of top draw saves and some that you only make when luck and confidence is high. Richard Bentham then was called for TRIPPING at 34-36, Guildford really were pushing hard for a goal and when Fone and the defence which have to say did an outstanding job cutting passes out and defending stoutly. So with them getting frustrated with the Phoenix net minder being a brick wall it was made worse when Michal Psurny added a 3rd goal to the Phoenix tally as he scored it short handed and that seemed to break the spirit of the Surrey based outfit as a 3-0 lead looked insurmountable even to them. Liam Chong grabbed an assist on Psurny goal and it was a matter of how many it seemed then as looked broken the Flames now.
The period ended with Phoenix fans rising to their feet saluting their heroes as they went to the locker room 3-0 up and on course for their first silverware since 2011 when they won the League championship.
3rd Period
-----------
Everyone wondered how the 3rd would play out would it be a dull one with both sides going through the motions or would the Flames launch one last rally to try and force a way back into this contest, we got our answer 40 seconds into the 3rd as Josef Kohut set up Nathan Rempel and so pulled one back for a 3-1 score line at 40-40
Tony Hand then shot the puck over the glass in his own zone for a DELAY OF GAME call and Guildford were finally gaining some momentum, However their power play didn`t last long as David Savage then got called for TRIPPING at 43-48. Both teams killed their penalties off before Joachim Flaten was then called for HIGH STICKS when the stick stayed before stomach height yet Pering the referee seemed to see something different to everyone else in the rink. That came at 45-32 and Guildford at this point in time was in the ascendancy now, so while passing the puck around in the Phoenix end by the forwards. Hand managed to knock it away and Phoenix broke with a breakaway Hand skated over the blue line and with space and time he looked up and buried it low far corner for a 4-1 lead at 47-09 and the champagne was on ice now as that was the killer goal by Manchester Phoenix player-coach.
Phoenix fans were starting to party already as they had both hands on the trophy and so when a few minutes later they were short handed again Pozivil had intercepted a pass by a Flames defenseman and passed it to his fellow Czech native and Michal Psurny buried it same corner as Hand did and the game was all but over bar the shouting as the Phoenix players leapt on Psurny as he had secured the Playoff trophy for them with still 10 minutes to go as he was timed at 49-49. Guildford responded straight away as Branislav Kvetan scored for 5-2 at 50-07 with assists going to Rempel and Longstaff. The celebrations were much muted as they seemed to have been playing just for pride now as they treble had tantalizingly slipped from their grasp at the final hurdle.
Guildford looked to try and score another one to try and put doubt in the Phoenix players minds, but with another TOO MANY MEN call it put paid to any hopes they had and as the clock ticked down Phoenix fans stood and clapped their team to victory and a shower of gloves, sticks and helmets lay strewn across the Phoenix zone, as the men from Manchester celebrated their first ever EPL Playoff victory and playoff win in their 10 year history. As a Manchester teams last playoff success came way back in 1996 when they were Storm and won the Promotion/ relegation playoffs.
So as the players lined up for the handshakes and celebrated the victory, the man of the match awards were given out to the players as Nathan Rempel got it for the Flames and for Phoenix it could only go to one player and that Steve Fone for one of the most incredible net minding displays in a final for many years. Players came up to receive their medals and after that was done Luke Boothroyd came to pick up the EPL Playoff trophy, Which led Guildford Flames player coach Paul Dixon to lead his men to the blue line and showing their class tapped their sticks in recognition of the Phoenix as champions, and the Phoenix responded by holding off their celebrations to return the favour and both sets of players warmly applauded the other side and led Phoenix fans to chant "GUILDFORD" as they came round to show their respect to the opposition and the Guildford fans clapped the Manchester fans and vice versa for the sportsmanship by both sets of fans.
The celebrations lasted long as the players celebrated their victory and as the Phoenix players skated off the ice to the locker room the owner Neil Morris gestured he thanks the fans from the bottom of his heart.
STATS:
PENALTY MINUTES:
Guildford flames: 10 Manchester Phoenix:10
SHOTS ON GOAL:
GUILDFORD :26 SHOTS
MANCHESTER: 32 SHOTS
NETMINDERS:
MARK LEE (Guildford) 32 shots 84.37% SAA
Steve Fone (Manchester) 26 shots 92.30% SAA
MAN OF THE MATCH:
Flames: Nathan Rempel Phoenix: Steve Fone
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