Tom Watkins: Hull defeat helped Telford Tigers refocus

Sunday's 6-3 success over second-placed Milton Keynes Lightning means Telford have scored 12 goals since that 6-0 defeat at the hands of Hull Pirates last week.

Victory at Telford Ice Rink followed a 2-1 success in Milton Keynes on Saturday evening as the Tigers continued to tighten their grip on the EPL title race. Watkins, who has guided his side to an unbeaten start to the season at home, believes that defeat in Hull was the catalyst for their current run of form.

He said: "We had that blip in Hull last week and that sort of thing tends to refocus you, and sometimes gets you back on the right page.

"Often a team will need that to start putting the honest effort back into performances."

The county men nearly didn't have it all their own way on Sunday night, however, when the visitors took the lead after just 18 seconds.

Telford rattled the crossbar twice in a bad-tempered opening session, but couldn't find a way past Lightning netminder Przemyslaw Odrobny.

Watkins added: "It still felt good at the end of the first period, but we started the same way as Saturday.

"We were a bit flat and there were quite a few stoppages, so it was hard to get any rhythm going."

The second period was a different affair, as Telford took the lead with quickfire goals from Jason Silverthorn and Adam Jones on 27 minutes.

Milton Keynes hit back almost straight away, but the Tigers regained their advantage through Milan Kolena at the halfway point of the game.

"Their netminder was playing his third game in three days, so we started getting pucks in front of the net and made him work hard," the Tigers coach said.

"He started looking a bit fatigued and we took our chances really well. It was nice to see Jonesy score and Silvs got a great little stick lift for his goal."

Doug Clarkson added a fourth for Telford at the start of the third period, before Corey McEwen sealed victory with two goals in the final 12 minutes – taking his tally for the weekend to four.

Lightning then scored a late consolation with five minutes remaining.

Watkins said: "It was important that we struck while the iron was hot and kept progressing in the third period.

"I thought we got better as the game wore on, defended better and were smarter on the puck.

"They pinned us a couple of times in the third period, but guys were prepared to battle and block shots, so they didn't get any really good opportunities."

Milton Keynes took the lead after just 14 minutes on Saturday night and missed the chance to go two goals ahead on 36 minutes when Frantisek Bakrlik saw his penalty shot go wide.

The Tigers dominated the third period, but it wasn't until the 58th minute that they drew level, thanks to a strike from McEwen.

That goal meant the game ended all-square after 60 minutes, giving both sides a single point.

And it was McEwen who sealed victory – and the extra point for Telford – with a fine strike after 30 seconds of overtime.

Tigers are back in action next weekend, when they host Bracknell Bees on Saturday (6pm), before a trip to Peterborough Phantoms on Sunday (5.30pm).