Despite the difference in player counts, the opponents were certainly no pushovers. Bosco and Rey agreed to start off with the 2nd offence line, as well as the defence pairing of Bartholomaios Dempsey and Dan Sharma. The strategy was to see if the Phoenixes can get in an early goal before playing out the checking line and energy line. Indeed, it was Soner Elzinga who put in the first points after 4 minutes. Simon Pesti made a nice trick pass by checking the wall and then fooling Liara Baselthauser into thinking that he was making a shot, when in reality Pesti made a nice cross to Elzinga, and Elzinga made a nice wrist shot to steer it past Samuel Lomm.
Getting 1-0 up, Bosco quickly made wholescale changes to the 5 outfield players, putting forth the checking line. The players were focused on maintaing the posession of the puck, and when they didn't, employed all sorts of checking methods to ensure that the players gain back the posession.
One period down, and the slim lead was kept. Rey told the players of the need to grab the second goal, and decided to give the fourth line a spin. The second half was where Chromatika became more aggressive, which was well expected considering that they are disadvantaged in terms of time. With more aggression from the opponents come more aggression from our players, and Sabri Colquhoun got himself out of the field with after pushing an opposition player. With Chromatika getting a power play, the penalty kill unit comes on to stop, but the numerical advanatge allowed the hosts to equalise. It would be Curtis Isahal who made a slapshot straight for goal, and as the power was too strong, Hadi Darby wasn't able to get the puck out in a correct angle, allowing Peter Marshall to clean up the mess.
The last period was really the time where fatigue started to set in. The first line came on aiming to clear the match, and at the 7th minute of the period, Diogo Aita made a really nice deke, distracting Josephine Galmont and allowing Kwaku Hermansson to come in to scoop the puck and make a nice shot into goal. Much of the action of the third period was in the Chromatik half, but the defence was really on point and the Phoenixes failed to get in another goal to wrap up the game. In the end, it ended 2-1 in favour of the Phoenixes, as Poafmersia grabs 2 more points to continue their excellent start to the campaign.
Rey was very satisfied. In the locker room after the match, he praised the players for dealing with the match really well. Looking at Colquhon, he said, "Such incidents are normal, and though it allowed Chromatika to get a goal back, sometimes you just have to do it in order prevent goals. It is absolutely alright, and you shouldn't blame yourself for that send-off." Bosco was absolutely jumping for joy, cheering in the locker room and praising the players for a job well done. "If anything, I hope that you can utilise the template that all of you got today, and hopefully improve when we return home to Mancodas to play Fiekkefjord."
Chromatika 1
Peter Marshall 33:12
Poafmersia 2
Soner Elzinga 4:15
Kwaku Hermansson 47:29