Liam Peyton looking for Leeds Knights to raise intensity levels against Peterborough Phantoms
OPENING WEEKEND may not have gone as Leeds Knights will have hoped but, for Liam Peyton, the good thing is the wait is never too long to try and bounce back.
A 2-1 first night defeat at home to Hull Seahawks was followed 24 hours later by another loss by the same scoreline at Milton Keynes Lightning.
The one comfort to take from the weekend was that the defeat in Buckinghamshire came in overtime, meaning the Knights at least got off the mark for the season.
This weekend brings a double-header against Peterborough Phantoms, who first visit Elland Road before playing host on Sunday.
Ashley Tait’s team had a mixed weekend first time out, enjoying a 6-4 win at reigning league champions Swindon Wildcats before going down 7-4 at home to Basingstoke Bison, one of four teams - including Hull - to take the maximum four points on offer across the weekend.
But while there will have been frustration among the Knights’ ranks at their points return, the encouraging sign was that they held their own against two teams who are likely to be among the front-runners for honours this season.
And Canadian import Peyton, who posted 60 points including 30 goals in 66 games last season, is confident the Knights will be able to raise their standards accordingly.
“We knew the league was going to take a step up,” Peyton told Leeds Knights TV. “We're coming together as a team.
“It's still early days but we know what our expectations are of ourselves and around the league. We know we have to raise our standard here - two games down and we know what we have to do coming up.
“The best part about hockey is you go again quickly - it’s not like you have to wait a super-long stretch.
“Every game is important and we know that as the season goes on, that league table grows and it changes. Raising our intensity and our compete level coming into this weekend will be critical.”