Leeds Knights boss Ryan Aldridge hoping 'strongest characters' come to the fore again in order to prevail again
LEEDS KNIGHTS’ coach Ryan Aldridge says now is around the time in the season when he usually finds out who his strongest characters are.
With there being no let-up in the NIHL National title race between the Knights, Milton Keynes Lightning and Swindon Wildcats, those ‘characters’ are going to be relied upon more than ever.
For the last two seasons, the Knights have won the regular season crown in some comfort, both times with a handful of games to spare.
But, as things stand, with 18 games to go, it looks likely they will be pushed all the way to the end in their bid to claim a third straight title.
Having impressed Aldridge with what he considered one of “their best 30 minutes of the season so far” when coming from a goal down to beat Sheffield Steeldogs 6-1 at home on Friday, the Knights came off second-best 24 hours later at Swindon.
The 5-1 defeat will have been hard to take, understandably, but there will no doubt be plenty more highs and lows between now and Sunday, March 23.
“This is usually when you find out who your strongest characters are,” said Aldridge, whose team will soak up four extra games into their schedule having reached the NIHL National Cup final. “Just before Christmas onwards it always turns into a grind and everything gets a bit tiring at this time of the year.
“It is especially tough at this time of year. You add two extra games for the semi-final, then another two for the final and then you end up having more and more three-game weekends.
“Guys have worked hard all week and then are expected to go and play three games of hockey before they go back to work on Monday morning.
“It’s very tiring, but you just have to find a way of seeing it through.”
In Swindon, the Knights found themselves trailing 2-0 just after the halfway mark through strikes from Canadian duo, Jake Bricknell and Ryan Wells.
Oli Endicott pulled one back for the visitors at 36.05 but three goals in six third-period minutes settled the affair, Bricknell adding his second at 47.11 on the power play, in-between markers from Glenn Billing and Ed Bradley.