Leeds Knights' Edgars Vengis helping to prove the future is bright at Elland Road
IF further proof were needed about the impact Edgars Vengis has had on Leeds Knights this season, he delivered a big reminder on Sunday.
This season saw Knights’ head coach Ryan Aldridge opt for giving youth more of a chance and it is Vengis and defenceman Jonas Bennett who have made the biggest impact.
On Sunday, when it was needed it most it was Vengis who got Knights back in the game just a couple of minutes after they had gone 2-0 down to Bristol Pitbulls and the possibility looked of back-to-back defeats against a team desperately scrambling to make the NIHL National play-offs for the first time in their history.
It was Vengis - fresh from helping Great Britain Under-20s to a silver medal at the Division 2A World Championships in Bucharest alongside Bennett and fellow teenage Knight, Daragh Spawforth - who got the hosts back in the game, jamming home a loose puck at 25.42.
Within two minutes, the Knights were level - this time another teenager, Danny Harrison, forcing the puck through netminder Tommy Nappier’s legs for his first goal at this level.
The momentum swing continued when Vengis scored again from close range - again from a loose puck generated by a Liam Peyton shot - edging the Knights ahead for the first time on the night at 36.59.
A memorable night was sealed for 17-year-old Vengis when he completed his hat-trick just under four minutes into the third period, with Bow Neely completing a deserved 5-2 win in the 52nd minute.
“I said when he was away that we missed him, we missed his energy, we missed his personality in the room and missed his big smile on his face,” said Aldridge. “And he just plays the game the right way and he got rewarded for that.
“He’s been like that all year, he’s a young guy with a bright future but he’s a team-first hockey player.
“We need more of them right now and luckily the young boys coming through are team-first hockey players.”