Seven-up for the Tigers as they hammer the Steeldogs
Telford Tigers head coach Tom Watkins was pleased with the response of his side as they thrashed the Sheffield Steeldogs in the National Ice Hockey League.
It was a mixed bag of a weekend for the Shropshire side as they lost 6-3 in Milton Keynes on Saturday, but then responded in perfect fashion with a 7-0 mauling of the Steeldogs on home ice on Sunday afternoon.
And Watkins was delighted with the way his side responded to a disappointing result.
“That was a solid performance and a good win with a shutout as well,” he said speaking after the win against Sheffield. “It was a great way to rebound from defeat on Saturday.
“We created a lot of chances again across all three lines and I think the spread of scoring across the team is a big plus.
“We have a tough weekend coming up with a doubleheader against Swindon, who are very much in form, so I’m pleased that we got the points in the bag.”
The Tigers almost started the game in perfect fashion when Archie Hazeldine sent Jaden Peca in on goal unopposed in the opening ten seconds of the first period.
Peca’s effort was saved by Sheffield’s netminder Daniel Crowe.
The opening period was scrappy but the home side found their goalscoring form at the start of the second. Just five minutes in Tom Byrne sent Louie Newell in on goal. Newell shot over Crowe’s shoulder into the roof of the net to give the Tigers the advantage.
And they doubled that five minutes later. Some neat passing between Newell and Harry Ferguson, who sent the puck in front of goal for James Smith to hammer home.
Tigers added a third goal shortly after with import forwards Peca and Jesse Sutton combining to allow Sutton time and space to send a low shot into the bottom left-hand corner of Crowe’s goal.
To end a fabulous second period, Fin Howells finished from close range to put the hosts firmly in control with a four-goal advantage.
And within moments of the start of the third period, the game was over as a contest when Scott McKenzie sent a pass across the slot where Vladimir Luka met it with a fierce slap shot that flew past Crowe before he could move.
The Tigers’ talisman added his second of the evening and the Tigers’ sixth after capitalising on a bad pass out of defence.
The final goal of the game was scored in the final two minutes when McKenzie found the unmarked Byrne in the slot and he hit a fine wrist shot past Crowe for Tigers seventh of the game.
Tigers netminder Brad Day completed his third shutout of the season as the Tigers deservedly got back to winning ways.
