Tigers show their teeth in win over Billingham

The win takes them up the table to third place, five points off leaders Sheffield.

Brodie Jesson led the way with two goals while there were six other scorers in Scott McKenzie, Andy McKinney, Doug Clarkson, Jason Silverthorn, Ricky Plant and Jordan Stokes.

Coach Tom Watkins was pleased with the performance at the Ice Rink saying: “It was a good win tonight but we were certainly made to work hard for the two points.

“It was a tight game until mid-way through the second period when Brodie stepped up with two big goals.

“I think we got going at that point, managed to push on and created some daylight between us and them.”

Tigers started the game well and opened the scoring in the seventh minute with McKenzie blasting the puck over Billingham net minder James Flavell. Jonathan Weaver was then called for slashing, giving Billingham the first power play of the game and they took advantage to level.

Tigers took the lead within forty seconds of the restart, Ricky Plant and Silverthorn combined to pass the puck to McKinney in front of goal and he made no mistake.

Tigers held the lead for only three minutes as some sloppy play allowed a goalmouth scramble with Billingham’s Chris Sykes reacting. Tigers then took the lead for the third time before Jesson and Clarkson made it 5-2.

Early in the third period, Jesson was awarded a five minute fighting penalty and ejected from the game and Billingham’s Matthew Campbell was called for slashing. The penalties meant that both teams would have four men for two minutes followed by Billingham having a three minute power play.

However it was Tigers who got the rest of the goals – Silverthorn and Plant making it 7-2 before after Stokes hammered a powerful slap shot past replacement net minder Mark Watson, whose first action he had was to pick the puck out of the net.