Autocraft Telford Tigers steel overtime win
Autocraft Telford Tigers headed into a difficult three game weekend with only one win all season and without a win on the road.
Tigers took a first period lead against Sheffield Steeldogs when Joe Aston hit a first time shot from a Jake Price pass past Sheffield netminder Curtis Warburton to open the scoring.
The visitors lost import forward Devon Skoleski through injury after a bad hit by Sheffield's Henry Adams saw the Tigers' player limp off the ice and not return. Adams was called for kneeing and ejected from the game, but Tigers wasted the subsequent power play.
Tigers extended their lead six minutes into the second period when Fin Howells sent a short pass to Vladimir Luka who dispatched a fierce wrist shot past Warburton in the Sheffield goal.
Jonathan Kirk halved the deficit with a shot from the slot but Tigers hit back when Howells sent Luka on a breakaway. Luka waited out Warburton and beat him with a low shot to give the visitors a two goal lead.
A very poor third period saw Telford penned back in their own zone and turning the puck over too often. A long range Sam Cooper shot beat Brad Day who appeared unsighted. Walker Sommer then scored to send the game to overtime after skating past the static defence to beat Day.
Tigers regrouped in overtime and took the win with a goal from Rhodes Mitchell-King. Tigers broke down the left hand side of the ice and Mitchell-King shot past Warburton to seal a much needed victory and two points.
Final Score: Sheffield Steeldogs 3 Autocraft Telford Tigers 4 (after overtime).
Scorers: Vladimir Luka (2), Joe Aston and Rhodes Mitchell-King.
Man of the match: Vladimir Luka.
After the game Head Coach Tom Watkins commented, “The team dug really deep tonight with a gritty character battling win and performance on the road tonight.
"We played solid for two periods in all three zones with some excellent work on and off the puck.
"Sheffield really stepped it up in the the third period so it was all about playing hard, fronting the puck and sacrificing the body, with some huge blocks.
"Great to see us battle it out and take the win in overtime with Rhodes (Mitchell-King) coming up with a huge goal for us.
"The win was a big plus for us but comes with some disappointment as we look like we are going to be without Devon Skoleski for some time after a really poorly timed, dangerous hit on his lower body.”
