Leeds Knights edged out but come out of opening NIHL National play-off weekend on top

The Knights sit top of the Group B standings after two games with three points, with Milton Keynes Lightning, Hull Seahawks Telford all on two.

The Seahawks suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat at Milton Keynes on Sunday, a result and more so perhaps a scoreline that places greater emphasis on this weekend’s double-header against Leeds.

The first of those two clashes comes at Elland Road on Saturday (face-off 6.30pm) before they lock horns again in Hull just under 24 hours later (5.30pm).

Having edged out Telford 3-2 on home ice, the Knights expected some kind of response from Tom Watkins’ side when they travelled to Shropshire the following day.

The physical tone set between the two teams on Saturday continued from the early stages of their renewal 24 hours later.

Again it wasn’t until the second period that the deadlock was broken, again it was Leeds when defenceman Sam Dunn ripped one past Day through traffic from distance on the power play just 58 seconds after the restart.

Two goals in six minutes, though, saw Telford get themselves ahead for the first time, Eric Henderson’s leveller at 32.02 being added to by David Thomson.

But Edgars Vengis showed nice composure and to drag the visitors level just over two minutes into the third period, the Knights quickly adding a go-ahead goal when Owen Sobchak did likewise just under four minutes later at 46.04.

The Knights, who had lost Danny Harrison to injury in the first period, looked like they might eke out another one-goal win, only for Henderson to grab his second from close range to make it 3-3 at 52.08.

A shootout looked like being required until, with just five seconds remaining in overtime, the puck broke loose in front of net for Telford’s Danny Rose to beat Sam Gospel and take the extra point on offer.