Leeds Knights boss Ryan Aldridge preparing for 'biggest' game of NIHL National season at Swindon Wildcats
RYAN ALDRIDGE is rarely one for blowing things out of proportion.
So when he says his Leeds Knights team face their “biggest” game of the season at Swindon Wildcats on Saturday - he is not bluffing.
It is “big” on a number of levels.
Firstly, Leeds head to Wiltshire already five points adrift of the current NIHL National leaders.
Secondly, a defeat will leave their National Cup hopes hanging by a thread with one game to play.
Lastly, they visit a Wildcats team boasting the only 100 per cent home record in the league, while also possessing the best defensive record of anyone this season - conceding just two goals per game.
Leeds - despite their injury troubles on the back-end this season - have the next best goals against average of 2.94, but they will need to be better than the Wildcats at both ends of the ice if they are to take anything from a first encounter of the season between the two.
“It’s a massive game, not just for our Cup hopes but also the league as a whole this weekend,” said Knights’ head coach Aldridge, who welcomes back 17-year-old forward Edgars Vengis after a three-match suspension.
“People might think I’m crazy for saying that this early but it is a big thing for the whole league this weekend. It probably doesn’t get any bigger for us right now, as a business and as a club.
“Even in terms of the league, if we lose, it’s a big gap to close, especially on what is a very good Swindon team - the depth they’ve got, the skill they’ve got, the size they’ve got.
“And, given the start they’ve had, there is obviously a want and a desire in that dressing room, too.
“It’s going to be a tough game, it always is in their building and we’ve got to be at our best to have any chance of getting something down there.”
Having seen themselves leapfrogged by Sheffield Steeldogs into second following their 7-1 win over Hull Seahawks on Friday night, Leeds go into the game on the back of some inconsistent form, losing three out of the last four.
They remain without long-term injured defencemen Jordan Griffin and Lewis Baldwin, as well as forward Mac Howlett, still laid low by illness.
Aldridge said he was hopeful import forward Arturs Mickevics would return, along with 17-year-old defenceman Liam Hine.
But both are rated as ‘day-to-day’ in their recovery from injury and will require a gameday decision on their inclusion in the Knights starting line-up at Swindon’s Link Centre.
Sunday offers no let-up for the Knights as they play host to a Milton Keynes Lightning team keen to find some form and make up for two previous defeats to Leeds this season.