Manchester Phoenix booked a place in the EPL playoff final with an epic, battling performance against Milton Keynes Lightning

Phoenix set up a date with Peterborough Phantoms after a 7-4 win at the EPL Playoff final weekend at the Coventry Skydome.

Robin Kovar and Shaun Thompson each bagged a brace to ensure Tony Hand MBE's final game as a player will be in a showpiece final.

Phoenix took control of a topsy turvy clash with two goals at the back end of the second period.

Kovar fired home before Hand was involved in a fantastic Adam Walker marker.

Before then a frantic opening period had seen it tied 2-2 after just 11 minutes.

Phoenix went in front in the fourth minute as Shaun Thompson's tame but accurate effort somehow found a way through after Stephen Wall had misjudged its flight.

Lightning then killed a penalty on Chris Wiggins before they equalised on 8.49.

Curtis Huppe with a cracking shot from the right against his former employers.

Phoenix didn't hang around though and wrestled back the lead within 28 seconds.

James Archer and Robin Kovar combining for Thompson's second of the night.

But just two minutes later, on 11:04, MK levelled again – and much like Phoenix' first it would be one the netminder would want back.

Lewis Hook's effort wasn't the most powerful but it dribbled over Stephen Fone's line with the stopper scrambling.

After such an epic start the game understandably calmed down although there was a lot of face-washing and disagreements in the meantime.

Lightning's Petr Horava hit the bar in the 19th minute but it was Phoenix who landed the next blow.

There was a scramble in the MK goal and up popped Kovar to poke in low on 21:02 – with assists going to Frantisek Bakrlik and Walker.

The game was scrappy and seemingly in control of last season's Champions until Huppe bagged his second on 26:48.

Phoenix passed up their second PP opportunity of the night when Horava went for Slashing midway through the clash.

But Kovar scored an absolute cracker with two left in the period to give his side the advantage for the fourth time.

Phoenix' next goal was a thing of beauty. Tony Hand drifted in from the left and found Bakrlik who simply backhanded it to Walker.

The Scot then fired high past Wall for 5-3.

Hand set Bakrlik up on 46 minutes - only for him to blast high – and then Fone denied a one on one.

The joy of the save was short-lived though as on Lightning's next attack Leigh Jamieson's shot was parried into the path of Chris Wiggins who made it a one goal game.

Phoenix ran into penalty trouble with both Joe Graham and Kovar heading to the bin in quick succession before James Archer was unlucky not to tip in a great pass.

On the other side of the ice Jamieson was inches away too.

Milton Keynes ran everything at Phoenix in the final minute but with Wall pulled for the extra skater Bakrlik and then Archer sealed the deal.

Earlier in the day, Darius Pliskauskas grabbed a brace as Peterborough Phantoms beat Champions Telford Tigers 4-2 to progress to the final.

Backed superbly by Janis Auzins, they led throughout and overcame the loss of Edgars Bebris with a resolute and brave performance.

Peterborough's intentions were made clear in the opening stages – work hard and get in front of every puck – and it carried them through to the final.

They made the best of those early moments and it was no surprise when they took the lead.

A scramble in front of goal saw the puck come out to Coach of the Year Slava Koulikov, and he made no mistake in firing low past Tom Murdy.

Telford got back into it and tested Janis Auzins in the Phantoms' net, but the netminder – unlucky not to have made the all-star team – was more than up to the task.

But when Edgars Bebris was sent to the bin on 10.25, the Tigers pounced – Max Birbraer tucking it away 49 seconds later thanks to Daniel Davies' good work.

Peterborough killed a penalty on Captain James Ferrara for Holding the Stick on 15.12 and then took advantage of a powerplay opportunity of their own.

Jonathan Weaver was called 2+10 for Checking from Behind and Luke Ferrara gave his side a 2-1 lead.

Telford were determined to start the second strong and after 20:42 were given a big chance.

The lively Bebris was given 5+Game for High Sticks – but a Peter Szabo penalty negated most of it.

And in fact it was Murdy who was the busiest between the pipes.

Another bout of pushing and shoving on 26:19 saw Pliskauskas receive 2+2 for Roughing, alongside Telford's Martin Ondrej who also got the gate.

The Phantoms had spent the majority of the second half on the back foot – but they extended the lead with a cooly taken Pliskauskas marker on 30:42.

Tigers needed to step up and they did – Rick Plant sending a howitzer into the top corner on 41.56.

Peterborough passed up a powerplay opportunity seven minutes into the third and then produced some desperate defending to keep Telford at bay.

That was the tale for the rest of the game with the Phantoms' defence and Auzins in particular outstanding in the final few minutes.

Pliskauskas then sealed the deal with a superbly taken shot on 57.09.

The final is on Sunday afternoon at 4pm.