Basingstoke Bison ended a 12-match winless streak with a 4-1 Elite League victory over Hull Stingrays.
Steelers, Phoenix and Vipers all on song
Basingstoke Bison ended a 12-match winless streak with a 4-1 Elite League victory over
Hull Stingrays.
Brent Hughes got them off the mark and Shaun Thompson doubled the advantage and although Matt Reynolds pulled one back in the second period Trevor Read and Danny Stewart secured victory.
Sheffield Steelers were 2-0 winners at home to
Cardiff Devils as they recorded their fourth straight league win.
The margin of victory could have been greater had it not been for an inspired display from Peter Aubry in the visitors cage.
Despite outshooting Devils by 17 to five in the opening period the game remained goalless and that was also the way it stayed after 40 minutes with a further 19 shots fired on the visitors goal to no avail.
The second period did however see Steelers Joey Talbot on a five-plus game for spearing at 22.32. Shortly after this the Steelers were awarded a penalty shot, Jeff Legue took it and Aubry saved.
Hand hat-trick
The breakthrough finally came in the third period at 48.56 with a powerplay goal from Legue. The game was poised on a knife-edge until 58.24 when, with Steelers under penalty, Rod Sarich struck his fourth of the season to ice the two points.
Manchester Phoenix made it two wins on the bounce as they enjoyed a fine 4-1 victory at
Nottingham Panthers.
The visitors were quickly off the mark as player/coach Tony Hand found the net at 2.30. Four minutes later they added a second goal from the stick of Brett Clouthier as he scored shorthanded at 6.19. A goalless second period kept the Mancunians with their noses in front.
Hand's excellent night continued when he grabbed his second of the game at 42.23 to put his team into a commanding position.
But moments later he took a hooking penalty and gave Panthers the man advantage that they made count as Dan Tessier found the net on the powerplay at 45.52.
Manchester steadied the ship after this setback and then with the Phoenix shorthanded again, Hand capped a great night as he found the net at 58.15 to complete his hat-trick.
In the Challenge Cup
Belfast Giants beat
Newcastle Vipers 3-2 to finish Group A winners and book a place in the quarter-final. The result also meant a place in the last eight for Manchester.
