Leeds Knights hold firm against Hull Seahawks to maintain NIHL National title push

It allowed the Knights - who have a game in hand - to draw level with the Lightning ahead of Sunday night’s games.

The Knights raced into a 3-0 first period lead at Elland Road, Matt Barron getting them up and running on the power play at 7.18 and doubling his tally 10 minutes later after Kieran Brown had made it 2-0 in the 10th minute.

Hull - who lost Jason Hewitt for the night on a slashing call in the 19th-minute - hit back in the second period to make it 3-2, however.

Bobby Chamberlain got them on the board at 26.21 before Johnny Corneil made it a one-goal game shortly after the halfway mark when he broke clear to score short-handed.

But the Knights weathered the storm and had restored their three-goal cushion by the end of the second thanks to two more from captain Brown.

Again, on a tense night, Hull came back to within one goal, Declan Balmer making it 5-3 on the power play at 44.52 before Emil Svec spread nerves through the home bench and supporters when he made the most of another man advantage situation six minutes later.

But, as they were the previous weekend against Romford, the Knights held firm, Brown scoring his fourth on the power play at 54.24 before Barron sealed a deserved hat-trick with a superb finish from the left circle two minutes later, an assist for Brown on that goal taking his points tally for the season to 99.

Regardless of Sunday’s games – the Knights were on the road at Telford Tigers, while Milton Keynes were at Romford – next weekend remains a pivotal three days for the Knights’ hopes of a third straight title.

Friday sees them head to Romford for the first of three games in as many nights, Saturday bringing a titanic showdown with the Lightning in Buckinghamshire.

The Knights will then host Solway Sharks, whose faint hopes of making the post-season could by then be over.