Positives to take for Telford Tigers despite defeat - says Tom Watkins
Telford Tigers head coach Tom Watkins believes his side played well in parts of their defeat against Milton Keynes Lightning despite losing 5-1
It was the Tiger's sixth consecutive defeat in the National Ice Hockey League and they also have a lengthy injury list to contend with.
And Watkins felt like his team competed well for parts of the clash in Milton Keynes despite the unflattering scoreline.
He said: “I thought, for the most part, we did a good job, despite giving them plenty of opportunity on the power play we managed to keep their top players off the score sheet and I think if you do that you give yourself a shot.
"But frustratingly we give up two goals to their fourth line.
"After 40 minutes, I felt we had been the better team and should have got ourselves ahead after a very strong second period where we created several good chances and kept them to just five shots.
"In the third period, it didn’t feel like we were moving our feet as well as we had all game. We ended on our heels with not enough pressure in certain areas.”
Tigers fell behind in the fifth minute after Rio Grinell-Parke scored for the hosts. The rest of the period was close. Both teams had chances to score, but the first period ended with Lightning holding a narrow lead.
The second period featured much of the same as seen in the first period with Tigers unable to score but limiting the home side’s chances.
A power play chance for Milton Keynes with five minutes of the second period remaining saw a second goal scored. Harry Gulliver finished off a Ben Solder pass to double their lead.
Three minutes later Tigers gave themselves a chance in the game with a power play goal of their own. Danny Rose’s slap shot beat Lightning net minder Will Kerlin to get the visitors on the scoreboard and set up the third period nicely.
With the next goal in the contest crucial, it would be Milton Keynes that extended their lead. Gulliver scored his second goal of the game.
With the Tigers forced to take more chances to try and get back into the game, they conceded two late goals to end the contest.
Tim Wallace added a fourth goal and was closely followed by a fifth goal from Grinell-Parke to seal another disappointing result for the Tigers.
