Telford Tigers are back but short of goals in friendly outings
Telford Tigers got their pre-season under way with a pair of defeats to the Swindon Wildcats at the weekend.
The Tigers were beaten 4-1 in Wiltshire on Saturday before returning to Shropshire on Sunday and being shut out by the visitors in a 4-0 defeat.
After the game on Sunday, head coach Tom Watkins said: “We didn’t have the jump or chemistry we have seen at practice this last week, but this is why we have these pre-season fixtures.
“It was hard to get quality scoring chances or speed on our transition, which I’m sure we will improve on, but that’s also a credit to Swindon, who have some high end quality with plenty of offensive punch and players on the back end who the move the puck well.
“We have to do the basics to a higher standard and stick to the process. All areas that we will address and work hard to get everyone on the same page.”
Tigers took to the ice for the first of four pre-season challenge games over the next two weekends 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.
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 five-on-three 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.
Watkins said: “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.”
Tigers remained without Price, Yokoyama and Rose on Sunday, but added Stanton and Max Soden to the line-up.
They were behind after five minutes when a shot from Ryan Wells was tipped over net minder Matty Bloor’s shoulder by Swindon player-coach Aaron Nell.
Five minutes later, a low shot from Reed Sayers beat Bloor low down to double the visitors’ lead.
Swindon scored a third goal in the final minute of the opening period when Nell netted his second of the game from close range.
The second period wasn’t much of an improvement and the Wildcats added a fourth when Chris Jones got the final touch during a goalmouth scramble.
