The Morley Glass Leeds Knights started February with a huge win at The Castle over MK Lightning last night, beating Tim Wallace's side by seven goals to five.
After a heavy defeat on the road the night before, it was a crucial game for Ryan Aldridge's side to collect points back on home ice and keep the pressure on the Swindon Wildcats and Sheffield Steeldogs at the top of the table - and that they did.
Head Coach Ryan Aldridge praised the atmosphere inside The Castle that kept the Knights going, being the seventh man even when the team went behind, ultimately helping them to get the win.
"When the buildings like that, there's no better place to play, especially in this league, I don't think. I always like to play in front of them," he said.
"Obviously, it gives us a spark and we've always been the same for three years: we score one, we're always dangerous right after that."
The Knights were trailing by four goals to three in the second period, but an important goal from Finn Bradon at 38:55 on the powerplay, tied the game going into the third period. It was all to play for.
And the Knights came out ready to battle in the third with two goals scored within 25 seconds by Canadian forwards Owen Sobchak and Liam Peyton, before Matt Bissonnette sealed the win with the empty net goal.
Aldridge said: "For the most part, I thought the boys were outstanding. To bounce back from the way we played last night to the way we played tonight, I thought was brilliant."
"I think the scoreline bothered me really last night; I think it was the goals we gave up. I think you look at our line-up - five or six under-18s in the line-up against a line-up like theirs - I don't think losing on the road to them is that bad, to be honest. It was the goals we gave up, and again, we gave up goals tonight that I wasn't happy with, but they [the Knights] showed resilience tonight to outwork them and find a way to win."
Oli Endicott received the Man of the Match award after a weekend of putting his body on the line, showing what it means to be a Knight and Aldridge praised the forward saying: "There's lots of people that wouldn't play there in that spot. I think Oli gets a pretty
hard wrap around the league, him and Bales, but they're two players that wear their heart on their sleeve. I'd have them in my line-up any night."
"Even with the bruises and the swollen eye, he was like 'yeah, let me go.' And I thought he got to set the tone tonight. I thought he was absolutely phenomenal. What he did last night, he puts his neck on the line every night to protect his teammates and he's a great kid."
It's a weekend of away fixtures for the Knights coming up, but we're back at The Castle on Friday 13th against the Swindon Wildcats (7:30pm face-off), and we need to pack out the rink and get behind Ryan and the boys.
