Telford Tigers out to write history in the grand final weekend

Tigers’ players look to etch their names into modern-day club folklore by landing the NIHL National play-off crown for the first time.

Watkins’ side have already been crowned National League champions this season and followed that up by finishing top of the pile in their six-team play-off group.

That saw Tigers qualify for finals weekend, featuring four teams, beginning tomorrow at Coventry Skydome, with a semi-final against Sheffield Steeldogs.

“There’s huge desire to be successful, that’s for sure,” said Watkins, whose team missed out on the 2020 play-offs as ice hockey was scrapped due to the pandemic.

“We’ve been to many final fours, played in many semi-finals and finals and unfortunately we’ve never won a final, despite the other success we’ve had.

“We perhaps feel at times times we’ve underachieved in this series and this final four format.

“We’ve got a lot of guys who have been here for all those fixtures, I’m sure they like me will be very driven to be successful, like me.

“But we’ll take nothing for granted, work hard and execute what we need to.”

Steeldogs denied Telford a league and cup double by claiming the National Cup over two legs last month, lifting the trophy at Telford Ice Rink.

And Watkins is aware of the scale of the challenge ahead of his side, as Tigers and Steeldogs face off to meet the winners of MK Lightning and Peterborough Phantoms in Sunday’s final. Going all the way is something Tigers have not achieved before, despite their stunning success elsewhere.

The Tigers chief added: “We’re quietly confident, we’re not cocky or arrogant. We believe in our play and know what we want to achieve.

“It’s trying to replicate that for 60 minutes, there are three other teams equally talented, perhaps, and earned the right to be there.

“Whoever plays the best hockey with the fewest mistakes across the weekend will win the final. It’s massive we don’t give teams easy opportunities.

“We can’t win from sitting in the penalty box and we’ve got to take advantage of power plays.”

Watkins has a full-strength squad to pick from, aside from long-term injury absentee Ross Connolly, due to useful rotation during the play-offs.

He insists the Sheffield tussle is not about revenge, adding: “I don’t think so, I think it’s probably got zero bearing on this, at a neutral venue.

“We’ll have some experienced guys who have played in a play-off format before, equally we’ve got guys that haven’t so it’s new to them.

“I’d like to think we’re at controlling our emotions and staying disciplined, I think that’s key when you come into these semi-finals, if you make a mistake don’t let it become two errors and quickly bouncing back.

“We’ve been able to do that all season, but in a one-off game if you’re out then you’re on the golf course.”