Autocraft Telford Tigers took to the ice for the first of four pre-season challenge games over the next two weekends with the first visit of the season to Wiltshire to take on the Swindon Wildcats.
Tigers started the game without Lucas Price and Zachary Yokoyama. Danny Rose is still some way off returning to the ice as he recovers from injury so also didn’t ice. Tigers were able to add 16 year old junior prospect Taylor Stanton to the team for his first National League level game.
A goalless first period saw both teams blowing away the cobwebs and little in the way of goal threat at either end of the ice.
Three minutes into the second period the home side took the lead through Dylan Lipsey and shortly after doubled their lead with a goal from import forward Jake Bricknell.
Tigers headed into the final period trying to reduce the deficit but failed to get their game going and within 90 seconds of the restart Swindon had scored a third goal, Brickell with his second of the night.
With five minutes of the contest left to play Telford finally got on the scoresheet with a goal from Scott McKenzie.
Swindon then had a glorious chance to kill the game off with a penalty shot from Tomaz Malasinski but his effort went high over the goal. Tigers rallied and were given a 5-on-3 power play when Bricknell was called for roughing and Luc Johnson for hooking. But despite the numerical advantage Tigers could not score and remained two goals behind.
The final minute saw Brad Day pulled from the goal to add an extra attacker but this just allowed Sam Godfrey to score a fourth goal into the empty net.
Final Score: Swindon Wildcats 4 Autocraft Telford Tigers 1.
Scorers: Scott McKenzie.
Man of the match: Rhodes Mitchell-King.
After the game Head Coach Tom Watkins, commented,” It was good to get back on to the ice and for the most part of it we can take plenty away from the game. We started the game well enough and killed off three penalties in the second period but then we were back on our heels a little bit and guilty of turning the puck over for their first two goals. There is a lot to work on and I am looking forward to putting things right on home ice.”
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