Leeds Knights enjoy winning streak while they deal with injury adversity
BATTERED and bruised they may be but Leeds Knights are showing the kind of consistency and form which has produced their unrivalled success over the past three years - a development which can surely only mean bad news for their NIHL National rivals.
The Knights head to Solway Sharks on Friday night looking to stretch their winning streak to nine games.
They will be met at Dumfries Ice Arena by a Sharks team deprived of using its home rink for most of the season so far and determined to put on a show for their fans in what is their home opener.
It could prove a potent mix for the Knights to deal with, particularly when combined with a notoriously tricky rink for visitors to adjust to - given its unique measurements, in particular its shallow neutral zone.
But, given the form the Knights are in - at least in terms of results - you wouldn’t bet against them at the moment.
Recovering from a blank opening weekend which brought defeats to Telford Tigers and Peterborough Phantoms, the Knights have been perfect since, taking them to within a point of early-season pace-setters, Swindon Wildcats.
All of this, of course, while deprived of some key personnel.
Head coach Ryan Aldridge is busy scouring the hockey landscape for a suitable replacement for import defenceman Matt Staudacher, who is due to head home in the coming days.
Elsewhere, fellow blue liners Jordan Griffin and Lewis Baldwin remain sidelined through injury, while young forward Danny Harrison has joined them in the treatment room after sustaining an injury in training this week.
Mac Howlett’s return to the fray last weekend after four weeks out through illness was a timely boost but there is little room for any further injury issues in the coming days and weeks.
The impeccable performances of young defencemen Jonas Bennett and Liam Hine – the latter this week having moved to the Knights on a permanent basis from NIHL North One leaders Blackburn Hawks – are helping Leeds get through a tough time at the back end but, not surprisingly, a large chunk of Aldridge’s week has been taken up by finding a permanent replacement for Staudacher.
“We are working hard to bring in a new import D-man,” said Aldridge. “There are a few around - hopefully we will have something sorted by early next week.”
On his team’s turnaround in results, Aldridge added: “In hindsight, I think people now realise we lost to two good teams that first weekend.
“We just got beat by two teams in Telford and Peterborough who most people assumed weren’t going to be any good, but they are both right behind us in the table.
“Both of them are the only teams to beat Swindon so far, so they are no slouches and deserve respect.”
Despite his team’s subsequent perfect form since that opening weekend, Aldridge still feels they have a way to go before realising their full potential.
“I think we went through the same situation last year,” he added. “I know a lot of people probably think I’m a bit too grumpy, but I honestly don’t think we are reaching our full potential, yet.
“I felt we were terrible in Sheffield last Friday - that is probably the worst we’ve played in a very long time but we managed to win.
“In the third period against Milton Keynes on Sunday I thought we were exceptional. It was sort of 50-50 with them for the first two, but then I thought we stepped it up in the third massively.
“We’ve just got to find a way to be like that more often. I realise they can’t play like that for 60 minutes, but if we can do that for 50 or so minutes, I’ll be very happy.”