IT IS a pivotal weekend for Leeds Knights’ NIHL National Cup hopes. But these are exactly the kind of situations that Balint Pakozdi signed up for.

Four years at Swindon Wildcats had produced a solitary Autumn Cup for Pakozdi - a competition introduced for the part of the 2021-22 campaign to partly make up for the widespread absence of hockey during the previous season due to the Covid pandemic.

The subsequent three years brought no further silverware for the Wildcats and Pakozdi while, by contrast, Leeds were conquering all before them, winning three league titles, a play-off trophy and, finally in 2024-25, the National Cup.

His relationship with Knights’ head coach Ryan Aldridge - originally forged in Wiltshire - helped facilitate a switch to West Yorkshire in the summer of 2025 for Pakozdi, determined to help his new club maintain their winning momentum.

For a long part of last season, it looked like he had backed the wrong horse, his former club ending their wait for honours by clinching the regular season league title, while the Knights were edged out in the two-legged final of the Cup by Bair Gendunov’s dramatic overtime for Sheffield Steeldogs.

But, against the odds somewhat, the injury-riddled Knights battled their way through to the Play-off Final Four Weekend in Coventry, first gaining revenge on the Steeldogs in the semi-finals before Pakozdi played a key role with two assists in the stunning late comeback in the final to beat Hull Seahawks 5-3.

Now Leeds need Pakozdi to again step forward and help them clinch a semi-final Cup berth, first hosting second-placed Romford Raiders before heading to Hull on Sunday where the winner could possibly clinch what may be the final spot on offer.

It is the kind of situation the combative Pakozdi relishes.

KEEP THE GOOD TIMES ROLLING: Balint Pakozdi celebrates scoring in a 4-1 win over Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Steeldogs, part of an eight-game winning run they carry into this weekend. Picture: Charlotte Clarke/Knights Media.

placeholder image — KEEP THE GOOD TIMES ROLLING: Balint Pakozdi celebrates scoring in a 4-1 win over Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Steeldogs, part of an eight-game winning run they carry into this weekend. Picture: Charlotte Clarke/Knights Media.

“Both of these games are must-wins, so it's a massive weekend for us - but I love it when it’s like that,” Pakozdi told Knights TV.

“Romford are flying high in the Cup standings and will be bringing everything to ours on Saturday, we know that.

“Hull, it is always tough going there, a bit of a hostile environment - I don't think they like us very much over there. But we just need to find a way to win.”