Leeds Knights coach Ryan Aldridge says more to come from players and hails 'phenomenal' import's impact

A 3-2 defeat in a shoot-out at Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday night saw the Knights cede a slight advantage to their Group A rivals.

But it was only brief, Aldridge’s players answering back on home ice 24 hours later, their 4-2 win adding two points to the one gained in Peterborough to leave them top of the group with seven points, the Phantoms one point further back.

Hull Seahawks – despite losing both games to Leeds on the post-season’s opening weekend – have blasted themselves back into contention with two wins over Bees leaving them in a straight shoot-out with Peterborough this weekend.

If Hull win both games – either in regulation or in overtime or a shoot-out – they will be going to Coventry.

Leeds need just a point from their two games against Bees to make it to the SkyDome Arena on April 27.

“We’re in a great position,” said Aldridge. “But it will be nice to start the weekend against the Bees at home and get back to our style of play and try to build some confidence going through the weekend.

“It was pleasing to get three points against Peterborough, although I don’t think we played our best hockey all weekend.

“It’s tough, play-off hockey is different – you’ve got to work that little bit harder and be that little bit more direct. The goals don’t have to be fancy all the time, you’ve got to just find a way to put the puck in the net. We managed to do that on Sunday.

“The games are coming thick and fast now and we’ve just got to make sure we’re playing hard every single shift.”

It was nip and tuck against the Phantoms on both nights for Leeds, with the single point gained on the road effectively handing them a significant advantage going into the final weekend.

The second clash at Elland Road was by no means easier for the Knights, who forged ahead through Matt Barron’s strike in the eighth minute.

That is how it stayed until just before the halfway point when Peterborough got back in the game with a goal from Luke Ferrara.

Crucially, the Knights got themselves ahead again through Jordan Buesa in the 43rd minute, their situation improved further just over seven minutes later when Noah McMullin – wearing a cage having been cross-checked in the face the night before – saw his shot on goal take a deflection into the net.

But there was no chance of the Knights easing off, particularly when the visitors made it a one-goal game again through Ales Padelek at 53.29. The win was only confirmed when Mac Howlett fired into an empty net with just seven seconds remaining.

Aldridge hailed the impact of import defenceman McMullin, having bounced back from his injury the previous night to hit the game-winning goal for the defending play-off champions.

"He’s been an unbelievable player for us this year there’s no doubt about that,” added Aldridge. “He’s even better as a person.

"As a hockey player, I think he’s a little warrior and if there was anyone on our team who was going to play after what happened on Saturday, it was him.

“None of us were shocked that he was prepared to play – I thought he was phenomenal.”