Penalties 'killed' Cats challenge (From Swindon Advertiser)

SWINDON WILDCATS: Penalties 'killed' Cats challenge

6:00am Monday 6th February 2012 in Ice Hockey By Ned Payne

SWINDON suffered double defeat at the weekend as both Basingstoke and Manchester accounted for Ryan Aldridge’s men.

Wildcats held 2-0 and 4-3 leads at Basingstoke on Saturday but were denied by a late strike from Jacob Heron as they went down 5-4.

And last night at English Premier League high-flyers Manchester, Swindon were beaten 6-3.

“On Saturday, penalties killed us and it was the same against Manchester,” said Swindon head coach Ryan Aldridge.

“Not giving away penalties, hard work and competing is what we need to work on, I’m getting fed up of saying it.

“We need more from everyone but we need more from our imports in particular.

“On the positive side, Sam Bullas and Loris Taylor played really well in Manchester and Paul Swindlehurst got his first goal of the year as well.”

Against the Bison, it was Swindon that took the lead with less than two minutes played, when Czech ace Jaroslav Cesky was left unmarked and he duly converted.

Wildcats’ advantage was extended to 2-0 courtesy of D-man Jan Melichar, who sent a rocket high into the net at 14.28.

However, Basingstoke began their comeback almost exactly seven minutes later.

First, Tony Redmond profited from a face-off win to fire through traffic and over the shoulder of netminder Dean Skinns (21.32).

The equaliser arrived on the powerplay at 31.28 with Steve Moria and Joe Miller setting up Marcel Petran to smash into the net.

Bison surged in front for the first time before the period was out, as Daniel Volrab bundled over the line from short range (33.20).

There was yet another twist at the start of the final period and it was Aaron Nell that scored, the young British forward firing home 41 seconds in.

And it looked as if the tide was turning in Swindon’s favour when Nell grabbed another in spectacular style at 44.48, blasting the puck home out of the air.

But it was not to be the visitors’ night. Nicky Chinn somehow managed to beat Skinns from a tight angle at 49.05 to level matters once more, and the winning goal arrived at 55.57.

Heron hit a shot that Skinns could not quite keep out, and the puck crossed the line to hand Basingstoke a dramatic victory.

On Sunday, Swindon held an early advantage for the second time of the weekend.

After having an effort chalked off, Wildcats took the lead through Jonas Hoog at 16.51, only for Manchester to equalise courtesy of a five-on-three counter (20.32).

Former Hull forward James Archer then proceeded to tear into the visitors, netting no less than three times inside 12 minutes.

Archer’s first was on the powerplay at 21.44 before he added two more goals at 30.24 and 31.27.

Nell gave Swindon faint hope as he made it 4-2 at 32.22, but Slava Koulikov made sure Manchester entered the second break with a three-goal advantage (39.15).

Paul Swindlehurst pulled matters back to 5-3 at 43.11, only for Tom Duggan to direct another into the net for the hosts.