Autocraft Telford Tigers returned to home after losing a close game against Peterborough by one goal in a game that saw Tigers outshoot their opponents by twenty shots.
Tigers were feeling the effects of losing a number of key players with David Thomson. Ross Connolly and Scott McKenzie all sidelined and joining Joe Aston, Lucas Price and Devon Skoleski as unavailable.
Despite the short bench and missing such key players, the first period was one of the best by a Telford team in many seasons. After five minutes Telford were ahead. Vladimir Luka sent Fin Howells clear on goal and Howells’ shot hit Hull netminder Jordan McLaughlin and went in off him into the net. Less than a minute later the lead was doubled. Brad Day hit a pass from his goal crease which sent James Smith clean through on goal. Smith went backhand forehand and beat McLaughlin with a wrist shot that trickled past him into the goal.
Tigers were then given a power play when Hull’s Bobby Chamberlain instigated a fight with Deakan Fielder after Fielder made a perfectly legal hit on Hull’s Jason Hewitt. Fielder wrestled Chamberlain to the ice and Tigers were given the chance to extend their lead further. But a momentary lapse by Day saw Hull pull a goal back, short handed when Dec Jones’ shot went in and out of Day’s glove and dropped into the net.
Telford were still on the power play and restored their two goal lead immediately. Eric Henderson sent a pass across goal to the unmarked Luka who shot into the open net for Tigers’ third goal.
Five minutes later the lead was extended further and saw Tigers get another power play goal. With Emil Svec called for tripping, Henderson sent a pass to Jason Silverthorn who was stood at the top of the crease. Silverthorn flicked the puck over McLaughlin off the post and into the net.
The home side weren’t finished yet as a fifth goal followed. Harry Ferguson was unmarked in the slot and hit a fierce wrist shot in off the bar.
If the first period belonged to Telford the second period definitely belonged to the visitors who scored three goals, all on the power play. Rhodes Mitchell-King was the first player in the penalty box for Telford for hooking, allowing Chamberlain to score from close range. Then Day was called for tripping which allowed Chamberlain another tap in goal for Hull’s third. Finally a Louie Newell penalty for hooking was punished with Chamberlain’s hat trick goal. All three of Chamberlain’s goals came from the top of the crease with Hull taking full advantage of the extra man each time.
Telford were up against it and could not clear the puck from their zone and were indebted to Day for keeping them ahead. The period could not end quickly enough for Tigers as they made it to the final break with the narrowest of leads.
The lead lasted only a couple of minutes of the third period as Chamberlain scored a fourth goal with a goal from a rebound to draw the sides level. Both sides tightened up defensively and the game would be settled in overtime.
Hull completed the comeback with a goal midway through the overtime period when Lee Bonner broke away to score and send Telford to a fifth consecutive defeat.
Final Score: Autocraft Telford Tigers 5 Hull Seahawks 6 (after overtime).
Scorers: Fin Howells, James Smith, Vladimir Luka, Jason Silverthorn and Harry Ferguson.
Man of the match: Tom Byrne.
After the game Head Coach Tom Watkins, commented, “At 5-1 we should be closing the game out with ease, the same last week (against Swindon) at 3-0 we should be able to shut the game down but with the defensive frailties this team has shown all season, sadly we showed the same old traits and fragility of a team that concedes goals with ease, a team that don’t know how to defend/win or what it takes to play with discipline for 60 minutes. We run around in our own zone, it looks like we are fighting a fire, reacting to situations after being caught puck watching and can’t manage the basics of defending, protect the net front with the very basic defensive strategy of not letting the opposition get between you and your own goal. We don’t learn, we show video, we highlight and practice in the defensive zone but yet again the same against Peterborough on Saturday and the same tonight. The inability to continually outwork, out-skate the player opposite. We talk a great game but so far this season it’s all talk!”
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