Video – Leeds Chiefs still in playoff hunt despite Milton Keynes Lightning striking twice

FOR a weekend that started on such a high, Leeds Chiefs ended a whirlwind 48 hours on something of a low note.
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Back-to-back defeats against Milton Keynes Lightning meant the Chiefs were unable to capitalise on Friday night’s thrilling 4-3 win in overtime against Hull Pirates.

Overall, the weekend represented a slight improvement in terms of their chances of making the post-season. But only just.

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In the plus column, Raiders IHC, the team going into the weekend in the eighth and final playoff spot, failed to add to their points tally with defeats to Sheffield Steeldogs and Peterborough Phantoms.

Caly Robertson,right, battles for possession on a frustrating night at Elland Road against Milton Keynes Lightning. Picture courtesy of Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.Caly Robertson,right, battles for possession on a frustrating night at Elland Road against Milton Keynes Lightning. Picture courtesy of Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.
Caly Robertson,right, battles for possession on a frustrating night at Elland Road against Milton Keynes Lightning. Picture courtesy of Andy Bourke/Podium Prints.

The one negative for the Chiefs, however, came with Bracknell Bees securing an unexpected four-point weekend against leaders Telford Tigers, enough to take them above Raiders into that coveted eighth place.

As a result, the Chiefs are 11 points adrift of the playoff places as opposed to the 12 points they were staring at ahead of their clash with Hull. They have 12 games in which to overturn that imposing-looking deficit.

“The games have ticked down, but apart from that, nothing much has changed,” said Chiefs’ player-coach Sam Zajac.

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“The loss at home was a classic case of it being our third game in three nights and it showed, we were flat and we were second to a lot of loose pucks and a step behind most of the night. It’s understandable in a way given the amount of hockey we’ve crammed in this weekend, but it’s also frustrating.

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME: Lewis Houston was on target to level for Leeds Chiefs against Milton Keynes in Sunday night's 4-1 home defeat. Picture: Dean Woolley.RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME: Lewis Houston was on target to level for Leeds Chiefs against Milton Keynes in Sunday night's 4-1 home defeat. Picture: Dean Woolley.
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME: Lewis Houston was on target to level for Leeds Chiefs against Milton Keynes in Sunday night's 4-1 home defeat. Picture: Dean Woolley.

“It’s disappointing to lose this way in front of our own fans, given how it was on Friday, it was a bit of a damp squib really.”

Despite enjoying the better of the early exchanges, the Chiefs fell behind with less than five minutes on the clock, Rio Grinell-Parke driving down the right and unleashing a shot that beat netminder Sam Gospel to cannon in off the pipes.

The Chiefs were soon level, however, good work by Patrick Valcak around the back of the Lightning net creating space in front for Lewis Houston, who timed his arrival perfectly to fire past Dean Skinns at 8.35.

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That was how it stayed until the second period when the Chiefs suffered a repeat of the previous night in Milton Keynes by conceding two quick goals.

FRUSTRATED: Leeds Chiefs' player-coach, Sam Zajac. Picture: Dean Woolley.FRUSTRATED: Leeds Chiefs' player-coach, Sam Zajac. Picture: Dean Woolley.
FRUSTRATED: Leeds Chiefs' player-coach, Sam Zajac. Picture: Dean Woolley.

After Ethan Hehir saw his shot saved by Skinns, the Lightning broke quickly down the other end and, after a collision in front of net took out a Chiefs’ defenceman, the puck fell kindly to Cale Tanaka, who fired past Gospel at 24.03.

It got worse for the hosts 80 seconds later when Taylor Dickin found space in front before squeezing the puck through an unsighted Gospel’s legs at 25.23.

The Chiefs were on the ropes and were unable to close the deficit before the end of the second, before ralliying in the third, heir best chance coming when Caly Robertson looked certain to score on a rebound from Valcak’s effort only for a diving Lightning defenceman to block his goalbound shot.

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Houston went close when combining with Valcak in a repeat of the move that had brought his earlier goal but, as often happens when teams are pushing for a way back, they were hit by a classic sucker-punch, Liam Stewart breaking down the rightbefore cutting in and firing high past Gospel to make it 4-1 at 55.10.

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