Ryan Aldridge on how Leeds Knights produced their 'Sunday best' in flashback to title-winning campaign
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It made for another four-point weekend for the Knights as they kept up the pressure on NIHL National leaders Milton Keynes Lightning - but it didn’t come without cost.
Captain Kieran Brown was due to see a specialist on Monday after picking up an injury during the 6-1 win at Berkshire Bees on Saturday when trouble flared in the second period.
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Hide AdBrown was one of three Knights players ejected from the game for fighting, Jordan Griffin joining him on the sidelines from the same on-ice brawl, while Bailey Perre had earlier been sent to the locker room for the night.
But that togetherness, seen again on home ice in the 3-2 win over Swindon, delighted head coach Aldridge.
“This whole weekend, we were like we were last season, 18 months ago,” said Aldridge.
“We were together as a team, everything was for the team, we had some penalties (against Bees), but it was for the team - a bit of team toughness brought us together and it was a phenomenal weekend.
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“(Against Swindon) that last 6 or 7 minutes there was massive and a lot of big players stepped up tonight.
“I actually thought it was the best we’ve played all year, the boys were unbelievable.”
On the situation regarding Brown, who has been resurgent over the last four weeks with 23 points, including 12 goals, in just eight games, Aldridge added: “He’s okay, He went to the hospital last night (Saturday) and he’s seeing a specialist on Monday.
“We hope it’s not as bad as we first thought, but he’s a tough kid and he’ll be fine.”
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The Wildcats broke the deadlock at The Castle in the 12th minute when Tomasz Malasinski was first to his own rebound off Sam Gospel.
Only 18 seconds had passed in the second period when the Knights drew level, Fin Bradon picking up the puck in the neutral zone and driving forward before exchanging a one-two with Oli Endicott and firing past Renny Marr.
Against the run of play, Edgars Bebris fired the visitors into the lead for a second time at 41.43 when his long-range speculative effort eluded Gospel.
As the game entered the last five minutes, the Knights went on the power play and, at the second attempt, Noah McMullin fired through traffic from the top of the right circle and past Marr to haul his team level for a second time.
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Hide AdOvertime came and, entering the last minute a rejuvenated Jordan Buesa continued his rich vein of goalscoring form when he fired home a rebound from his initial blocked shot to secure the crucial extra point on offer.
With leaders Milton Keynes Lightning also enjoying, it leaves the Knights two points back in second but with a game in hand, while Swindon are five points further back in third.