Leeds Knights: Return of captain Kieran Brown means battle for ice time hots up

In Brown’s injury-enforced absence, the Knights again - they also coped for a couple of games last season, too - showed they were more than able of stepping up to plug the gap left, following up an 8-5 win at Solway Sharks with a 7-3 thumping of Milton Keynes Lightning at Elland Road.

Each night brought a hat-trick hero - Finley Bradon in Scotland and Matthew Barron on home ice - but it was the all-round togetherness shown in Brown’s absence that would have pleased Aldridge.

Now the 23-year-old is fully recovered, he is expected to resume his first line spot, meaning ice time will be less for others, prompting competition among several players.

“A lot of guys stepped up last week and played well, - I thought the boys were brilliant all weekend,” said Aldridge. “With Kieran coming back in the line-up, people are playing for spots now because they proved how good they can be.

“It creates that competition between the players which is what you want as a coach - it’s always nice to have healthy competitions.

“We’re not just about one player, we’re a proper team - 100 per cent - and I think it’s good for us to see how good we can without Kieran in the line-up.

“Everybody knows how big he is for us as an organisation, as a team and it was good to see boys step up when he wasn’t out there.

“But we welcome him back, too. It will be great for us to see him back out there. He’s been pretty grumpy while he’s been off the ice - he’s certainly a different person when he’s playing!”

The Knights spend the entire weekend on the road, first heading to Bristol Pitbulls - hammered 11-4 and 9-1 by a rampant Hull Seahawks on opening weekend - before calling in at Telford Tigers on the way back.

Aldridge believes his players being able to spend a couple of days away together so early in the season will prove beneficial, particularly after the team’s pre-season preparations left him frustrated

“We’re staying in Swindon on the Saturday,” added Aldridge, “It’s the same hotel that we stayed in last year in Swindon, so the boys know where they are and are comfortable with their surroundings.

“And being away for the weekend will help, especially with me not being overly-happy with how pre-season went, both on and off the ice. It will be good for the boys to get together for a weekend.”

WHILE the Knights are on the road all weekend, there will still be senior hockey action at Elland Road on both days. Leeds Knights 2 return to NIHL North One action by hosting Hull Jets (5.30pm) and looking to avenge the 3-2 defeat they suffered in East Yorkshire on opening night.

Tomorrow sees Davey Lawrence’s team face perhaps an even sterner test when they welcome Blackburn Hawks to West Yorkshire (5.30pm).

Dominic Osman’s went down to defending North One league champions Billingham Stars 3-1 in their first game before bouncing back with an 8-1 win at Deeside Dragons.

Tickets for the Knights’ games can be bought HERE