Sunday 22 March 2009, Knockout Cup Final 1st Leg, Manchester.

The Giants play Manchester again in their second final of the month as the Giants try for two cups in one season for the first time.

Scoring:
1-0 MAN, Burnett (Smith, Bruce) 4:54
1-1 BEL, Howells (Awada) 19:18 (pp)
1-2 BEL, Robins (Deniset) 32:24
2-2 MAN, Fulghum (Hand, Smith) 37:54 (pp)
3-2 MAN, Fulghum (Mulherin, Garbutt) 44:54
3-3 BEL, Shields (Unassisted) 54:04

Penalty Minutes:
Manchester: Fulghum 2, Garbutt 2, Smith 2, Ward 2, Hand 2, Bruce 2, Clouthier 2.
Belfast: Robins 6, Johnson 2, Howells 4, Phillips 10.

Shots on Goal: Manchester 5 8 11 – 24, Belfast 15 12 11 – 38.
Powerplay: Manchester 1-4, Belfast 2-6.
Man of the Match: MAN – Luke Fulghum. BEL – Mike Burgoyne.
Referee: M Hanson.

Giants line-up: Lyle, Johnson, MacMillan, Cheverie, Deniset, Phillips, Thornton, Walton, Shields, Morrison, Martin, Burgoyne, Robbins, Awada, Sample, Howells, Craze.
Injured: Rushton

Notes:
— This cup game was also a league game and while the score towards the cup was only counted through the 60 minutes of regulation play, for league statistics a five minute overtime period was played in which Manchester scored on 62:10 through Nathan Ward. Both teams had agreed to merge the meaningless final league game of the season between the two teams into this knockout cup match.

Media Report:

All to play for in the Knockout Cup as Phoenix and Belfast shared six goals but with the game doubling up as a league game due to late season fixture congestion it was Phoenix who took the extra point in that competition with an overtime winner from Nathan Ward.

There was little to split the teams throughout this match with each of the three periods tied. The home side took an early lead when Lucas Burnett (17th) scored at 4.54 but Giants hit back on the powerplay with 42 seconds of the opening period remaining thanks to Tyler Howells (16th).

Giants then edged ahead on the night when Bobby Robins (28th) fired home at 32.24 but this time it was the home side with a late leveller as Luke Fulghum (32nd) netted at 37.54 on the powerplay.

This seesaw match swung the way of Phoenix again early in the third period with Fulghum (33rd) grabbing his second of the game at 44.54 but there was no denying a Giants side aiming for their second trophy of the season and at 54.04 Colin Shields (35th) scored as Giants enjoyed a powerplay opportunity.

That gave us a 3-3 Knockout Cup result but it was into overtime for league points and at 62.10 Ward (17th) netted for Phoenix to see them end their regular season campaign with a win.

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