Leeds Knights bounce back swiftly with derby triumph over Hull Seahawks

For the second time this season, the Knights enjoyed a 5-1 win at home against Matty Davies’s team, their captain Brown leading by example with a hat-trick plus an assist, Liam Peyton and Oli Endicott also getting on the board, with Jordan Stallard bagging Hull’s solitary reply.

The win was desperately needed by the Knights, who lost ground on the top two of Swindon Wildcats and Sheffield Steeldogs last weekend after suffering back-to-back defeats against Milton Keynes Lightning and the Wiltshire-based leaders.

For Hull, the loss at Elland Road brought an end to their four-game winning streak - their best run of form this season - with Davies and his players now quickly turning their attention to a second derby of the weekend when they host Sheffield Steeldogs on Saturday night. Leeds head north to take on Solway Sharks.

Leeds took the lead thanks to good work by Edgars Vengis, chasing what initially seemed like a lost cause down the left boards, only for the 17-year-old to win the foot race against former Knights’ D-man Dylan Hehir to set up Liam Peyton for a clinical finish from eight yards out at 17.01.

The lead was doubled in the 26th minute when Brown teed up Oli Endicott for a neat backhand finish from close range before, five minutes later, a mistake by Brock Bartholomew set the Knights captain free for a one-on-one down the middle which saw him round Jordan McLaughlin before sliding the puck home for a shorthanded goal.

Brief hope arrived just 36 seconds later for the Seahawks when Jordan Stallard jammed the puck home at Sam Gospel’s near post on the power play, but that soon disappeared when Brown forced home his second of the night at the third attempt from close range to make it 4-1 at 36.53.

The Seahawks had some looks in the third period – as did Leeds – but they couldn’t find another way past Gospel. When Davies pulled McLaughlin with just under two minutes to go, Brown’s long-range effort from the Knights’ zone sailed into the empty net with 68 seconds remaining, securing his hat-trick and a deserved victory for the hosts.

What Knights’ head coach Ryan Aldridge had to say

"Everyone wants to win hockey games, but for me its about performances and when you put in performances you win hockey games in the long run.

"Last weekend wasn’t a good performance either way but if we’d lost the game tonight with a performance like that I’d still be a happy man. The boys were brilliant from start to finish and if you perform like that you win hockey games.

"Kieran was a captain tonight, got rewarded for his efforts, got rewarded for his leadership and he was way more positive in the areas we need him to be positive in. He deserved the hat-trick in the end for his efforts both on and off the ice.”

What Seahawks’ head coach Matty Davies had to say

"For me, the scoreline probably didn’t reflect the game as a whole but, ultimately, I think they were better than we were in the right areas.

"We didn’t do enough both ways, I don’t think our D were strong enough in front of our net, Jordy again didn’t have his best night but we also didn’t do enough the other way.

“It’s tough to say but I think they wanted it more, that’s what it looked like to me. They were at home and they had to respond after the weekend they had last time out and it was a big derby game.

"We have to bounce back against the Steeldogs on Saturday. It’s going to be another big test, a different sort of team and one that is playing really well.

“It’s not going to be easy but, hopefully, the lads come back hungry, we need to right some wrongs against them so far this season and we’re at home and we’ve got to show up with that desperation that I don’t think we had against Leeds."

Highlight reel moment

17.01: Edgar Vengis' energy has stood out all season, emphasised once again on Friday night when he raced almost the length of the ice to get to the puck first before Hull defenceman Dylan Hehir, skilfully nudging the puck past his opponent before teeing up Liam Peyton for a clinical finish to open the scoring.

Who’s next?

Saturday, December 20: Hull Seahawks v Sheffield Steeldogs (5,30pm) – Buy tickets HERE ; Solway Sharks v Leeds Knights (7pm).