▁of ▁eight ▁in ▁the ▁league , ▁the ▁final ▁qual ifying ▁place ▁for ▁the ▁play offs . ▁Phoenix ▁finished ▁second ▁in ▁their ▁Play off ▁group ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁B elf ast ▁Gi ants , ▁qual ifying ▁for ▁the ▁semi - final , ▁where ▁they ▁were ▁be aten ▁ 6 – 1 ▁by ▁the ▁Not ting ham ▁Pan thers . ▁ ▁Despite ▁an ▁impress ive ▁beginning , ▁with ▁ 3 , 6 0 0 ▁turning ▁out ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁home ▁game ▁against ▁the ▁London ▁R ac ers , ▁crow ds ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁consistent ▁and ▁it ▁soon ▁became ▁apparent ▁that ▁ice ▁hockey ▁at ▁the ▁bus iest ▁ind oor ▁ven ue ▁in ▁Europe ▁would ▁no ▁longer ▁be ▁vi able ▁with ▁the ▁season ' s ▁average ▁attend ance ▁being ▁just ▁ 2 , 1 5 0 ▁per ▁game , ▁falling ▁far ▁short ▁of ▁the ▁rum oured ▁number ▁of ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁needed ▁to ▁cover ▁costs . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁Phoenix ▁tempor arily ▁susp ended ▁playing ▁operations ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 – 0 4 ▁season . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁the ▁Phoenix ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁the ▁fund ing ▁to ▁construct ▁a ▁new ▁temporary ▁ice ▁r ink ▁but ▁problems ▁arose ▁as ▁to ▁exactly ▁where ▁to ▁locate ▁the ▁facility . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁dead line ▁for ▁inclusion ▁in ▁the ▁E I HL ▁passed , ▁and ▁the ▁Phoenix ▁with d rew ▁from ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 – 0 5 ▁season .