Leeds Chiefs target winning momentum for Elland Road opening night

WINNING MOMENTUM: Leeds Chiefs' players celebrate their first goal in the 3-2 win at Telford Tigers on Sunday. Picture courtesy of Steve Brodie.

Sam Zajac hails Leeds Chiefs win over NIHL National leaders Telford Tigers

After months of delays, Planet Ice Leeds finally opens its doors to the public for the first-ever time on January 31.

An initial public skate session will be held once the facility is opened at around 4pm, with the Chiefs taking to the ice later that evening to play their home opener against Sheffield Steeldogs.

Before then, however, they have two other encounters classed as ‘home’ matches to negotiate, with next weekend seeing them spend the majority of their time in the West Midlands.

Saturday sees them take over Coventry’s SkyDome Arena to host in-form Milton Keynes Lightning (7pm) before welcoming Swindon Wildcats to Solihull Ice Arena (5.30pm) 24 hours later.

That will then bring an end to the relentless travel schedule player-coach Sam Zajac and his players have had to endure since mid-September.

Once installed in their new rink, the Chiefs will play 12 of their 17 remaining games there and Zajac says his team aim to use that home ice advantage to aid a late charge for the playoffs, even if the 11-point gap they currently have to bridge looks a tall order.

Leeds Chiefs' player-coach, Sam Zajac. Picture courtesy of Steve Brodie.

“We spoke on Saturday about how we had 20 games left and it was now or never for us in terms of the playoffs,” said Zajac. “Eventually you’re going to run out of games, so we need to start closing that gap.

“We also spoke about that when we got into that rink we didn’t want to do it on the back of a losing streak – we need to go into the new building on the back of some positive form.”

Zajac said his team had given themselves a timely confidence boost having finally got the better of the leaders at the sixth attempt, proving to both themselves and others, that they can be a competitive force in the second-tier.

“Sunday was huge, the whole atmosphere in and around the team has been given a lift,” added Zajac, “The guys all care deeply about this team and it shows us - especially some of the younger guys – that we are good enough to compete.”

“We just need to believe in ourselves, that if we all buy in and play the right way, that we can challenge any team in this league.”