Last-gasp win delights Tigers coach Watkins

Tigers went into the game against Bees having lost top spot in the league without playing a game. Tigers’ title rivals Swindon Wildcats were awarded a 5-0 win for a game with Raiders that was called off before Christmas and Milton Keynes had won on Friday against Basingstoke Bison.

The results had seen Tigers drop to third place but they had the benefit of two games in hand on their rivals.

Tigers had been short benched in recent games and remained without the services of Ricky Plant and Jack Watkins. Andy McKinney was serving the final weekend of his eight game suspension and was joined on the sidelines by Jonathan Weaver, Jason Silverthorn and Corey Goodison.

Thomas McKinnon was able to return, along with head coach Watkins who also returned to the bench after missing the last two games.

An even first period saw little in the way of clear-cut chances for either side with both Brad Day in the Tigers’ goal and Bees’ netminder Curtis Warburton not making many saves.

Tigers took the lead when McKinnon shot from a tight angle and Warburton made the save with his pads but he could only push the puck out to Vladimir Luka who hammered the rebound into the net. Bees were the better team in the second period and Tigers were penned in their own defensive zone for long periods and forced to ice the puck numerous times.

It was no surprise then that Bees equalised midway through the period when Dominik Gabaj sent a shot low past Day having been allowed a free skate up the ice.

Tigers retook the lead against the run of play when Scott McKenzie and Jack Hopkins combined to find Luka unmarked in the slot. The Czech forward smashed the puck past Warburton but the puck hit the back of the net and bounced out immediately causing confusion. After a lengthy discussion between the officials, the goal was awarded.

In the third period, Tigers gifted Bees a power play chance with a too many men on the ice penalty.

Bees scored with seconds of the power play left. A shot from Ed Bradley was deflected by Bayley Harewood past Day to draw the sides level. With overtime looming, Tigers hit back immediately with the goal that proved to be the winner. McKinnon hit a slap shot that struck Warburton’s pads and rebounded into the goal crease where McKenzie was on hand to score.

And head coach Watkins said: “It was a solid performance and an excellent result. The whole team were totally committed and focused on the job in hand and we executed the game plan perfectly.

“We knew we would have to battle hard every shift, we knew it would be close and, at times, we spent too much time in our defensive zone but we didn’t feel like we weren’t in control of the situation and I’ll happily take 50 icings tonight to helps us readjust and take the flow out the game.

“We had six key players out the line-up but we still managed two huge points on the road. Everybody put the team first and had a winning attitude.”