Hexagon Telford Tigers travelled to Ice Sheffield on Sunday night to take on the Sheffield Steeldogs and attempt to break a losing streak that had reached four games after a disappointing loss to Hull Pirates on Saturday.
Tigers were able to welcome back Andy McKinney from suspension for the game. In goal for Telford was Brad Day and for Sheffield, Curtis Warburton.
Tigers started the game well and had the better of the opening five minutes. Dominik Florian set up Jack Watkins for a chance from close range but Warburton saved with his pads. Sheffield were always dangerous on the break and Nathan Salam went close but a terrific back check from Fin Howells did enough to prevent Salam from getting away clean, with Day completing the save. Tigers opened the scoring in the ninth minute of the game with a well worked goal. Brandon Whistle showed superb stick handling skills to beat two Sheffield defenders, draw Warburton to his side of the goal and then send a pass to Scott McKenzie who shot into the open goal to put Tigers ahead. Referee Matthews was then accidentally knocked over by Sheffield’s Jan Danecek, causing great amusement to the crowd.
Sheffield went close with a shot from Vladimir Luka which hit the post and bounced wide. Ollie Lord took a heavy hit that spun him round and dumped him to the ice ending the Tigers’ defender’s participation in the game.
Tigers would end the period ahead by two goals after a superb goal from Florian. The Czech Republic forward received a pass from Corey Goodison and skated in on the Sheffield goal, he faked a shot, beat the defender and buried a wrist shot past Warburton to increase Tigers’ lead.
Tigers dominated the second period despite a number of penalties being called against the Shropshire team. With Ross Kennedy already serving a cross checking penalty, Thomas McKinnon took an ill advised checking from behind penalty, which saw Tigers facing a 5-on-3 power play and McKinnon a ten minute misconduct as well as his two minute penalty. Tigers’ penalty kill restricted Sheffield to long range shots, with Day making a strong glove save from Luka. After the first penalty had ended and Tigers were back to four skaters, they scored a third goal whilst short handed. A goal mouth scramble in the Tigers’ zone was cleared behind the goal, where Adam Taylor collected the puck and skated the length of the ice. With Tigers making a line change, Taylor continued forward and skated in on goal, shot at Warburton who fumbled the puck and presented Taylor with an open goal to slide the puck in to extend Telford’s lead to three.
With confidence oozing through the team, a fourth goal was not far away. Whistle once again showed his brilliant hand-eye coordination by taking control of a Sheffield clearance in mid air, controlling the puck and shooting at Warburton. The Sheffield net minder saved the initial shot but the rebound fell behind the goal, allowing Whistle to collect the puck and send it back in front of goal for Watkins to hammer in, giving Tigers a deserved four goal lead at the end of the period.
At the start of the third period, Tigers added a fifth goal. McKinnon hit a shot from the blue line that appeared to hit a Sheffield defender and deflect past Warburton. Sheffield managed to get on the score sheet with a goal from Brad Doxey. Tigers played out the final period and managed the clock well and, despite a late goal for Sheffield from Luka, Telford earned a deserved victory to return to winning ways and maintain a four point lead over closest rivals Swindon Wildcats.
Final Score: Sheffield Steeldogs 2 Hexagon Telford Tigers 5.
Scorers: Scott McKenzie, Dominik Florian, Adam Taylor, Jack Watkins and Thomas McKinnon.
Man of the match: Brad Day.
After the game Head Coach Tom Watkins, commented, “We are back in the win column that’s what counts. It was a good display all round, we moved the puck well and took our chances when they came our way. We lost Ollie Lord in the first period to injury so we are waiting to hear how he is after he attended hospital.”
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