Phillips strikes late as Flyers secure welcome road win

Premier Sports Elite League: Belfast Giants 1, Glasgow Clan 0; Manchester Storm 5, Fife Flyers 6; Coventry Blaze 7, Dundee Stars 2

Zach Phillips netted the game-winner for Fife Flyers with less than four minutes left in an 11-goal thriller at Manchester Storm in the Elite League.

Todd Dutiaume’s men had to come from behind after Storm opened the scoring after 1min 46sec through Stephen Johnson. They levelled when Lucas Sandstrom netted four minutes later.

And Flyers edged ahead 2-1 just over three minutes into the middle session when Janne Laakkonen scored only for Storm to bounce back with a second from Johnson after 25 minutes.

Storm then moved 4-2 in front after goals from Ryan Barrow after 30 minutes and Johnson’s third 26 seconds later but Flyers refused to give up.

They pulled one back through Phillips three minutes after that and Mikael Johansson levelled at 4-4 after 42 minutes.

Storm moved 5-4 ahead when Jake Bricknell scored five minutes later but two late goals clinched the points for the visitors.

Chris Lawrence levelled the game at 5-5 after he was set up by Sandstrom and Bari McKenzie. Time: 48min 18sec.

And Phillips netted after 56min 21sec with skipper Jonas Emmerdahl and Janne Kivilahti involved in the move.

Dutiaume’s men were outshot 41-35 but they turned it on in the final session, winning it 3-1 to end the weekend on a high after losing at home to Belfast Giants on Saturday.  Elsewhere, Will Cullen netted less than 11 minutes from time as Belfast Giants edged Glasgow Clan 1-0 in Northern Ireland.

But Dundee Stars were thrashed 7-2 at Coventry Blaze, the home side holding a 4-0 lead after the first period.

PICTURE: Fife v Storm by Al Goold courtesy of Premier Sports Elite League