Kieran Brown leads from front as Leeds Knights snap NIHL National losing streak
CAPTAIN Kieran Brown inspired his Leeds Knights team to a swift bounce back victory when he scored twice in a hard-fought win at Basingstoke Bison.
The Bison had won 3-2 in overtime in Leeds seven days earlier but the Knights recovered from going 1-0 down to a Sota Isogai strike on 74 seconds to run out deserved 5-3 winners in Hampshire.
It was also the ideal way to respond to the previous night’s 4-1 defeat at reigning NIHL National champions, Swindon Wildcats - a game they initially led through Danny Harrison’s 24th-minute strike.
It required a moment of brilliance from Brown to draw the Knights level when he intercepted a pass on the edge of the Bison zone before showing quick hands to turn defenceman Reece Cochrane inside out before lifting the puck high into Ethan James’ net at 15.40.
It was the second period where the game was effectively won, the Knights going ahead when Sam Dunn finished off a precision pass from Matt Bissonnette at the back past in the 25th minute.
Brown added a second from a net-front scramble five minutes later before a shot through traffic from Zach Sullivan just over two minutes later made it 4-1.
Cochrane’s effort flew past the unsighted Sam Gospel before the end of the second period and when Adam Rosbottom made it a one-goal game early in the third, a few nerves probably crept on to the Knights’ bench.
But they were settled somewhat at 53.55 when Cullen McLean pounced on a rebound off James’ pads from Bissonnette’s initial wraparound shot to fire home and restore the two-goal advantage, one the Knights preserved to snap a three-game losing streak and register only their third win of the season from their first 10 games.
After Harrison’s opener in Swindon, the Wildcats hit back swiftly with goals from Caden Villegas, Sean Richards and Matt Vermaeten giving the hosts a 3-1 lead at the second intermission.
Liam Fraser’s 45th-minute marker strengthened the Wildcats’ lead.