Weekend Teaser: Leeds Double

 

 Challenging weekend ahead as the Bees face double header with the league leaders

So close to earning points in Milton Keynes 

Bees first game of the weekend saw them heading around the M25 and up the M1 to Milton Keynes. This was always going to be a difficult match, Lightning were unbeaten in the first weekend of the season and have great depth in their roster. Bees were running a much shorter bench than Lightning but were boosted by the return of James Galazzi. Keeping Liam Stewart at bay would be a major challenge for the Bees defence particularly as he has had an amazing start to the season with hat tricks in both games of the first weekend. Turns out Stewart's great form was to continue as he scored in the first minute of the first period, a well worked goal that could have knocked the Bees confidence but it didn't faze them and they were to draw level in the final minute of the period with a superb goal from Dom Gabaj assisted by JJ Pitchley. Second period saw Bees handed a 5 minute powerplay as Lightning's Chamberlain decided to liven things up with a nasty hit from behind. Several penalies were called as a result of the aftermath of the hit with Josh Martin and JJ Pitchley for the Bees and Ross Green and Bobby Chamberlain from the Lightning all receiving 5 minute fighting penalties, in addition Chamberlain was given a 5 + game penalty for the check from behind and his involvement in the game was over. Bees were unable to make a break through in the powerplay and then Tim Wallace added a second goal to MK's tally which was going to be the game winning goal with Bees unable to beat the MK goalie for a second time. Both netminders, Gossy for Bees and Jordan Hedley for MKL, were outstanding and Bees gave a great all round performance. 

Although Bees didn't come away with any points from MKL there was plenty to be happy with and they were relishing playing Swindon on the Sunday who were heading to Slough after being beaten comprehensively on the previous two evenings by Bison. This wasn't to be as  technical issues at the Slough Ice Arena meant the ice pad lighting was not working and the game was postponed. The fixture has been rescheduled to Friday 13th January 2023.

Player of the Weekend Results

Congratulations to Adam Goss who is the latest player of the weekend thanks to your votes on twitter with 59% of the vote. Juha Lindgren was the runner up with 28%.

Weekends don't come tougher than this

Bees head to Leeds Knights on Saturday night and then welcome the Knights into the Slough Ice Arena on Sunday. Currently sitting at the top of the league table, Knights haven't lost a point in their first four matches. The Knights team can score goals in abundance having scored 25 goals in the first four games of the season. This will be the first time the teams have met since the final play-off fixture last season when both team's fates had already been decided. With nothing to play for but pride both teams provided the supporters with an entertaining friendly game with Bees edging the Knights 8-7. This weekends games will be a different test for the Bees but they have shown at Milton Keynes they can compete with the best. Bees should get their fair share of scoring opportunities but will have to keep Knights scoreline as low as possible to take the spoils.

Knights coach Ryan Aldridge is no stranger to the Bees having been signed in the 2003/2004 season by our then coach Mike Ellis, who is now the director of development for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ryan took over from Mike Ellis in 2006 as player coach and the 2006/2007 season under his helm would go on record as one of our most successful seasons post Superleague with the team winning both the league and the play-offs. Aldridge moved to Basingstoke Bison at the end of that season to fill the coaching post vacated by our own Doug Sheppard as he moved on to Steelers as player/assistant coach. 

Here is the roster for the Knights this weekend:



 

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