Two in each period secures Flames' win

Photo: Mark Ferris

The Guildford Flames scored a pair of goals in each period to beat the Manchester Storm by four live on Premier Sports.

Despite Guildford having the better opening chance with ap uck coming back off Matt Ginn's crossbar, it was Manchester who took the lead 7:32 into the game - Linden Springer's shot from the point was blocked on its way to the net, but Tyson Fawcett got on the rebound to put the Storm ahead.

Three minutes later Guildford were level on a 5-on-3 advantage with Jamal Watson letting a wrist shot fly from the point to tie it. With 1:56 left in the opening period, Tristan Frei and Owen Griffiths did well to turn the puck over behind Ginn's net, allowing Mac Howlett to roof home in front and put the Flames ahead.

Manchester were forced to replace Ginn with Jamies Downie after the first intermission, but the Storm drew level 2:03 into period two with a speculative effort from Frankie Melton beat Kevin Lindskoug from a bad angle - one the Flames' goalie would have liked to have back.

However, his side responded with two goals in six minutes to take a foothold in the game. On the rush, Ian Watters used the 2-on-1 pass as a decoy before sniping high at 27:18. Then, at 22:20, Brett Ferguson kept the puck in the zone well and set up Ian McNulty for a neat backhanded finish over Downie.

A well-taken goal from Watson gave the Flames a three-goal cushion with 10:28 left in the game as Watson patiently waited and faked before wristing high from the blue line for his second powerplay marker of the night. Having survived a short 5-on-3 kill, Guildford rounded off the game with Ian Watters firing past Downie on a 2-on-1 after an excellent saucer pass from John Dunbar.

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