Saturday 6th March 2004: Basingstoke Bison 2 Cardiff Devils 5; Coventry Blaze 0 Manchester Phoenix 2; Sheffield Steelers 7 Nottingham Panthers 4.
A home defeat by Cardiff Devils left Basingstoke Bison at 7th place in the table. Ivan Matulik scored the only goal of the first period for the visitors. Steve Moria equalised for Bison at 27 minutes, only to see Devils snatch the lead again just 40 seconds later through Russ Romaniuk.
A power play goal from Phil Roy ensured that the home side went into the final period on level terms, but Cardiff attacked strongly, their last three goals coming in a five minute spell, Vezio Sacratini and Ivan Matulik finding the net before Ed Patterson scored into an empty net with 70 seconds of the game remaining.
Manchester Phoenix took a step closer to the play-offs, winning a pulsating game against Coventry Blaze. Blaze started the stronger side, eager to end their recent run of poor form but Phoenix gradually weathered the onslaught and began to edge into the game. There was plenty of action and scoring opportunity for both sides but the game remained goalless until the final period when two goals from George Awada, the second into an empty net at 59.13, ensured victory for Manchester, Phoenix goalkeeper Jayme Platt achieving a 37 shot shut out
League champions Sheffield Steelers, playing their reserve goalkeeper Davey Lawrence, maintained good form when they netted 7 goals against second placed Nottingham Panthers. The first Steelers goal came from Gerad Adams after 4 minutes and a short handed goal from Mark Dutiame put the home side 2-0 up at the break, after Nottingham,s Mikko Koivunoro had received a game penalty for spearing. A John Craighead goal for Panthers, one minute after the resumption, saw Nottingham getting back into the game, but a second shorthander from Dutiame and a goal from Ron Shudra added to Steelers advantage. John Craighead was ejected from the game for misconduct. Two goals from Panthers from Briane Thompson and one from Lee Jinman were not enough to challenge Sheffield who continued to score freely, with Steve Ellis, Mike Peron and Kevin Bolibruck all getting on to the score sheet in the final period.
ELITE ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE 2003-2004
Pos Team Pld Won(in OT) Draw OTL Lost For Agnst Points
1st Sheffield Steelers 53 38(3) 3 1 8 199 103 86
2nd Nottingham Panthers 54 31(1) 6 2 14 196 153 72
3rd Coventry Blaze 53 24(3) 6 0 20 176 149 60
4th Belfast Giants 52 25(1) 6 1 19 203 170 59
5th Manchester Phoenix 54 19(2) 8 1 24 135 149 51
6th Cardiff Devils 52 21(0) 6 2 23 142 152 50
7th Basingstoke Bison 54 19(1) 5 3 26 143 183 48
8th London Racers 52 2(1) 2 2 45 97 232 10
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
Sunday 7th March 2004
Coventry Blaze v. Belfast Giants 6.00pm
Cardiff Devils v. London Racers 7.00pm.
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