Match Reports 2010-2011

MATCHREPORT: Tigers sign off - and plan for next year

Telford Tigers bid an emotional farewell to their first season under supporter ownership - and to the heart of the team, retiring assistant captain Daniel MacKriel.

Newlywed MacKriel was welcomed onto the ice by his team mates forming a guard of honour as they skated out for the final home league game, against Guildford Flames.

The Surrey side went into the weekend needing maximum points and Manchester to lose in order to take the EPL title, while Tigers' priority was to finish above Bracknell and avoid the wooden spoon - which they achieved to the noisy delight of the fans.

Saturday went by the form book, with Guildford running out 3-1 winners, Telford's lone goal coming from Tom Watkins in the opening minute of the second period, and Tigers calling on all of netminder Martin Clarkson's skills to keep the score respectable.

But Sunday saw Tigers get off to a fine start with Joe Henry scoring on the powerplay after just 3:15, aided by Tom Watkins and Tomas Janak.

Guildford put netminder Declan Ryan under heavy pressure, equalising with a powerplay goal, going ahead just as Tigers came back to full strength and going 3-1 up while five-on-three.

Tigers were not ready to give up though, as Joe Henry scored after just 40 seconds in the middle session, deflecting the puck in, and the 21-year-old picked up a perfect hat trick in the 30th minute. Celebrations were shortlived though as Flames went ahead again a minute later.

MATCHREPORT: Tigers suffer after night off

A night off from playing on Saturday seemed to have an adverse effect on Telford Tigers as they put in a rusty performance at home to Slough, going down 10-4 to the Jets.

From the opening moments, Slough were very much in control, banging in four goals in 13 minutes and prompting Tigers Martin Clarkson to leave his crease, with Declan Ryan taking up netminding duties for the remainder of the game.

The switch seemed to settle Telford for the rest of the first period, and Joe Henry gave the home fans hope with a sweet shorthanded goal at 20:57. However the joy was shortlived as Jets restored the deficit within half a minute on the powerplay.

They stretched that lead to 6-1 before two inspiring goals from Daniel MacKriel hauled Tigers back into contention.

Again, the visitors went on the rampage, capitalising on every Tigers slip-up to add two more goals against before young Adam Taylor found a finishing touch at 38:15 to record his first goal for the senior side.

MATCHREPORT: Tigers run MK ragged

Telford Tigers player-coach Tom Watkins declared himself "immensely proud" of his team after their narrow 3-4 loss to last year's EPL champions Milton Keynes Lightning.

An evening of end-to-end hockey saw Tigers go ahead when Joe Henry rocketed the puck into the net at 11:18, although Lightning made it 2-1 by the end of the first and kept Tigers at bay throughout the middle session while they extended their lead.

Josh Bruce brought Tigers back into it at 42:24 but Lightning restored their two-goal cushion. A powerplay goal from Tomas Janak with ten minutes still to play gave Tigers hope of taking their first point from Milton Keynes this year but, as with last Saturday's game against Peterborough, they were unable to force the equaliser.

Despite the score, Watkins had only praise for the way his squad had performed, not least because they were without Nathan Salem, Ross Hanlon and Ashley Calvert.

"I am so proud of how we battled and dug in," said the coach. "They maybe outplayed us in the second, but we didn't give it up easily and I think we dominated in the third.

MATCHREPORT: Tigers take third win in four

With just two weeks of league action remaining, Telford Tigers were left to regret 90 blundering seconds that probably put the team out of play-off contention.

A 4-3 road win at Bracknell lifted Tigers out of the wooden spoon slot, but allowing Peterborough to score three in a minute and a half in the first period at home on Saturday could prove decisive in the chase for eighth in the league table.

That position is held by Sheffield who, mathematically, could be overhauled but as they beat Peterborough on Sunday are currently looking the stronger to continue into post-season action.

Tigers started brightly, with Josh Bruce opening the scoring at 8:07, assisted by Daniel MacKriel and netminder Declan Ryan. Phantoms equalised at the 14 minute mark, but it was a four-on-four goal at 18:28 that signalled the meltdown for Tigers.

A series of errors were pounced on by Peterborough's imports who raced to a 4-1 lead. Tigers hauled one back in the second period - Luke Brittle showing a mature touch to deliver on the rebound, aided by Joe Henry.

A powerplay goal for Phantoms in the opening minute of the third gave Telford an even bigger mountain to climb, but Tigers hung in there and goals from Josh Bruce and Scott McKenzie brought them within touching distance of a point. However, even pulling Ryan off the ice for an extra skater failed to push the game into overtime.

MATCHREPORT: Tigers snatch four point weekend

Double man of the match winner Joe Henry set the tone for a fabulous four-point weekend by opening the scoring after just seven seconds as Telford Tigers stormed to wins over Basingstoke and Bracknell.

"I just went straight from the face-off, skated over the blue line, shot it and it went in," said Henry. "That's got to be one of the fastest goals I've scored in pro hockey."

Henry's quick-fire opener signalled a continuation of the good form Tigers showed last weekend against Manchester. But while they failed to take a point from Phoenix, Bison proved less of a challenge.

Scott McKenzie and Luke Brittle joined Henry on the score sheet, the first period ending 3-2 to Tigers. Henry extended the lead at 26:15, although Basingstoke narrowed the gap with a shorthanded goal.

Jack Watkins added one at 42:48 but Bison struck straight back before Andrejs Maslovskis scored on the powerplay to make it 6-4. A couple of clashes, between Telford's Mike Jones and Chris Wiggins, and Maslovskis and Carl Graham, preceded Tigers' final goal of the night as Joe Henry wrapped up his hat trick at 56:20 to record the Shropshire lads' first win over Basingstoke.

The unexpected victory was followed up by a 5-4 domination of Bracknell.