RESULTS and fixtures

Manchester Phoenix 3 Belfast Giants 0

Coventry Blaze 2 Nottingham Panthers 4

Manchester Phoenix began their play off group campaign with a 3-0 victory

over Belfast Giants, with net minder Jayme Platt achieving a 31 shot shut

out. All three Phoenix goals came from Mark Bultje, who first struck at

4.47 with a power play goal assisted by Dwight Parrish and Mika Skytta. It

took until the 49th minute for Bultje to find the net again, this goal

also on the power play with assists from George Awada and Dwight Parrish.

Bultje,s hat trick came with 90 seconds of play remaining, leaving Giants

without a point so far in the group.

Nottingham Panthers took the lead three times to claim victory at the

Skydome in a game that was nip and tuck throughout. Kristian Taubert

scored the opener at 6.55 but Steve Gallace equalised with a powerplay

goal minutes later. Mark Cadotte reclaimed the lead at 22 minutes, only

for Steve O'Brien to draw the scores level 28 seconds later. Then after

the half hour mark John Craighead scored on the powerplay. Blaze outshot

the Panthers, and had two goals disallowed in the final period. The final

goal was scored by Lee Jinman, who also registered three assists, 30

seconds from time.

PLAY OFF GROUP TABLE GROUP A

Team P, W, O, T, L, GF, GA, Pts

Sheffield Steelers 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 2

Manchester Phoenix 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 2

Belfast Giants 2 0 0 0 2 1 6 0

PLAY OFF GROUP TABLE - GROUP B

Team P, W, O, T, L, GF, GA, Pts

Nottingham Panthers 2 2 0 0 0 7 2 4

Cardiff Devils 2 1 0 0 1 4 4 2

Coventry Blaze 2 0 0 0 2 3 8 0

FORTHCOMING PLAY-OFF FIXTURES

Thursday 25th March

Manchester v Sheffield at IceSheffield 7.45pm

Cardiff v Nottingham 7pm

Friday 26th March

Belfast Giants v Sheffield Steelers 7pm

Saturday 27th March

Belfast Giants v Manchester Phoenix 7pm

Nottingham Panthers v Coventry Blaze 7pm

Sunday 28th March

Sheffield Steelers v Manchester Phoenix 6pm

Coventry Blaze v Cardiff Devils 6pm

FINAL TABLE ELITE ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE 2003-2004

Pos Team Pld Won(in OT) Draw OTL Lost For Agnst Points

1st Sheffield Steelers 56 41(3) 3 1 8 214 109 92

2nd Nottingham Panthers 56 33(1) 6 2 14 209 158 76

3rd Coventry Blaze 56 25(4) 7 0 20 186 156 65

4th Belfast Giants 56 26(1) 7 1 21 218 185 62

5th Cardiff Devils 56 23(0) 6 3 24 155 163 55

6th Manchester Phoenix 56 20(2) 8 1 25 140 155 53

7th Basingstoke Bison 56 19(1) 5 3 28 146 195 48

8th London Racers 56 2(1) 2 2 49 106 253 10