NETMINDER Stevie Lyle reckons that the temper of opposite number Janis Auzins could be a key factor in how the Swindon Wildcats fare against in their play-off quarter-final against the Peterborough Phantoms.

Latvian stopper Auzins is one of only two import goalies in the English Premier League, along with the Sheffield Steeldogs’ Dalibor Sedlar, and the 23-year-old is no stranger to on-ice histrionics, which includes when he goaded Wildcats players and fans during Peterborough’s victory at the Link in January.

Last weekend, Auzins visibly reached boiling point when Swindon fired six goals past him in the penultimate game of the regular season and the Wildcats’ experienced goalie Lyle, who will be taking over as head coach at the end of the season, thinks that striking early in Saturday’s first leg could throw the Phantoms man off his game.

“I’m probably saying this because I’m a goalie but a netminder can win or lose you a game,” said Lyle.

“I think that he (Auzins) can lose his head. In the last two games against Peterborough, we’ve scored on him early and he’s lost his head but the longer he keeps the puck out of his net, the more he’ll grow in confidence.

“I think that play-off games come down to who wants it more. If we want it more than them and give 100 per cent, then there’s no reason why we can’t go through.

“You need to try and get everything right for six periods of hockey and you also need good refereeing, which is important.

“I don’t think that the win over them last weekend will count for too much.

“They’re a good team and there wasn’t too much between us because we’ve beaten them three times and they’ve beaten us three times. They’ve beaten us heavily at home and we’ve beaten them heavily at their place.

“It’s not the nicest place to go and play, so hopefully we can do well in the home game and set ourselves up to get through to the semi-finals.’’