THE Bespoke Guardians Swindon Wildcats head coach Aaron Nell says his team is still learning how to be successful as their National Ice Hockey League season continues with a double-header against Leeds Knights this weekend.

The Wildcats enjoyed an exciting start to their league campaign last weekend with a narrow defeat to Sheffield Steeldogs preceding a penalty shoot-out success away at Telford Tigers on Sunday night.

With a double header against unbeaten Leeds to come, Nell explained his team is capable of ending the Yorkshire side’s hot start if they dial into a new style of play the team has developed.

Nell said: “We’re still learning all the time about how we have to play to be successful.

“We’ve been built in a certain way with the size of our forwards. When our forwards are playing hard on the forecheck to control the puck in the other team’s zone, we’re a very difficult team to play against and teams can’t get away from us.

“We are learning how we have to play, and the penny is starting to drop with the whole team – this style of play is what makes us successful.

“It’s very early in the season, and we’re still quite a new team. For us, we made quite a few changes, so it will take time.”

Swindon’s upcoming opponents began the new NIHL season with a 5-2 win at home to The Bees before beating Peterborough Phantoms 5-3 on their travels the following night.

And Nell recognises the quality among the Leeds ranks – a team he called both the most explosive offensively as well as the tightest, defensively.

Nell said: “Leeds have had a great start to the season – they’re probably the most explosive team in the league with all of their firepower up front.

“They’re probably the best defensive team in the league too, and they play with the most speed, so we can’t get into an end-to-end stereotypical ice-hockey game with them.

“We have to smart, and we have to play the style that makes us successful. First of all, we need to think about winning the home game, and then try and nick a win away.”