SWINDON Wildcats forward Sam Bullas has said the only way to give Telford Tigers payback is to beat them in the final of the Challenge Cup.

The 24-year-old admitted he was glad the game with the Tigers last Sunday was stopped early before it got out of control, following several flash points in the final period of a match the Wildcats were losing 5-0.

The decision was made to let the last ten minutes of the game wind down without any players on the ice after Scott McKenzie suffered a serious injury to his head, which led him to being taken to hospital.

Bullas wants to see his team ‘catch’ Telford in the Challenge Cup final, but they must first get past Manchester Phoenix next Thursday, with their semi-final second leg game delicately poised at 3-3 following the first leg.

“It is never how you want a game to finish with a big injury like that,” he said.

“It was nothing that Tomas (Kana) did, it was a good hit. It is just unfortunate that McKenzie got injured and we all wished our best to him.

“It was quite frustrating but finishing that game was a good idea because I think it could have got out of control.

“If it hadn’t finished as it did, then there would have been some serious retribution on both side, so I think it was a wise thing the game was stopped when it was.

“So we have just got to move on with it and catch them in the final of the cup.”

Bullas, who lives with Thomas Kana, has said that the Czech international has shaken off the incident and the team are looking forward to tomorrow’s clash with Bracknell Bees at the Link Centre.

“It’s ice hockey so you have got to move on and look forward to the next game. So Saturday, we play Bracknell and we’ve got to keep building,” added the forward.

“He (Kana) has played a lot of ice hockey for a lot of teams. He’s a Czech international, so he knows stuff like this happens and he is fine, and McKenzie is not seriously hurt.”