Autocraft Telford Tigers returned to home ice to face Sheffield Steeldogs after extending their winning run to five games with a win over Solway Sharks on Saturday evening in a penalty shootout. The win was even sweeter after Tigers fell behind in regulation time with only four minutes of the game left and managed to force overtime with an even later goal from Vladimir Luka.
Tigers started the game in perfect fashion with a goal in the opening minute of the contest. Edgars Landsbergs forced the puck into the path of Adam Harding who shot first time through Sheffield net minder Martin Crowe to give the home side the lead. Sheffield hit back 10 minutes later when a long range shot from Jonathan Kirk was tipped past Brad Day by Ivan Bjorkly Nordstrom.
Tigers regained the lead six minutes later when Eric Henderson found David Thomason free in the slot, allowing Thomson to shoot in off the post past Crowe. As he hit the shot to score Thomson was cross checked by Aidan Dancer. Jake Price took exception to this and cross checked Dancer, which drew Jack Brammer into the altercation and saw him punch Price but bizarrely Price was the only player awarded a penalty.
Referee Ions is not the most popular official with the Tigers’ fans and he drew the ire of the home crowd several times during the game, including when Sheffield clearly had too many men on the ice. Despite the clear infraction, play was restarted at even strength.
Sheffield drew level with a power play goal after Louie Newell was harshly called for holding. Walker Sommer sent a shot in on goal which Jonathan Phillips tipped past Day to equalise.
The third period continued in a similar vein with more puzzling calls going against the Tigers. David Thomson was called for a very rarely called penalty for illegal equipment and Danny Rose was called for roughing, meaning Tigers had conceded five penalties to none for Sheffield.
Eventually Telford ran out of steam after a tiring weekend, allowing Nordstrom a break away goal and with Tigers pulling Brad Day for the last ninety seconds of the game, Sam Tremblay scored an empty net goal to end Telford’s winning run.
Final Score: Autocraft Telford Tigers 2 Sheffield Steeldogs 4.
Scorers: Adam Harding and David Thomson.
Man of the match: Adam Harding
After the game Head Coach Tom Watkins, commented, “For two periods I think we managed the game very well, played solid defensively, moved the puck well and created a number of good chances that I would hope to be capitalising on at least two or three of those.
Heading into the third period level, I thought we in a good spot but we didn’t manage to generate any quality offence. I thought we were on the wrong end of some soft penalties. The call on Louie (Newell) for holding when he simply uses his body to protect the puck and in my opinion the calls on Jake (Price) and Danny (Rose) should have been evened out when they both end up in physical altercations with opposing players but only one team are penalised!
Our penalty kill was good and limited their chances but it does take away energy from your offensive players when they have to kill for the fourth or fifth time a night. I felt we let those two points slip tonight.”
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