SWINDON Wildcats player-coach Aaron Nell says his side will not travel to Peterborough Phantoms looking to protect their lead as they look to finish the job in the NIHL South One play-off semi-finals tomorrow night.
Nell’s side will carry a two-goal cushion to Planet Ice on Sunday after an impressive 4-2 victory at the Link Centre in tonight’s first leg.
The two sides will resume battle in Cambridgeshire with a place in the regional play-off final at stake as well as a guaranteed place at next month’s national play-off finals weekend in Coventry.
Tonight’s win was an eighth on the bounce in all competitions for the Cats and Nell says they must set out with the intention of continuing that streak at Peterborough if they are to have any chance of overall success.
“We would have taken any lead at the start of the night. I thought we were fantastic in the first 40 minutes and although Peterborough came back into it in the third period, they were always going to,” said Nell.
“It is two good teams so it is going to be a great game tomorrow. They are going to be pushing but we have got to go there and try to win. We can’t just sit on the lead, we have to try to win to go through.
“I would have liked another goal but I can’t argue with how the boys played. It is finely poised and both teams are both teams are going to be confident.”
Swindon were quick out of the blocks this evening and Jordan Kelsall fired them ahead seven minutes into the first period.
Although Ales Padelek netted a swift response for the Phantoms, the hosts got back in front by the time the buzzer sounded through Edgars Bebris’ strike.
Unanswered goals from Max Birbraer and Sam Bullas in the second period pushed Swindon’s lead up to three and although Peterborough edged the final session through Nathan Salem’s effort, Nell was content with the cushion his side built up on home ice.
“In the first period we were really good. We were intense and Peterborough tried to give it back a little bit but that is what we wanted, that is the team we have built,” said Nell.
SWINDON Wildcats face an uphill battle against Peterborough in their NIHL Playoff semi-final after their 4-2 win against the Phantoms was reversed to a 0-5 loss.
A statement released by the NIHL this afternoon confirmed the news regarding Wildcats player Joshua Francis Kelly.
Kelly had played two league games prior to last night’s first leg between the Wildcats and the Phantoms.
This meant he failed to meet criteria required by the NIHL to ice in last night’s game.
The NIHL rules state players must have played 25 per cent of league games to be eligible to skate in the playoffs.
Given Kelly had only skated twice, he is an ineligible player.
A statement released by the NIHL said: “On Saturday March 24 in the NIHL Britton division playoff game between Swindon Wildcats and Peterborough Phantoms, Swindon iced a player who was not playoff eligible (NIHL RoC 8.4.1/had not played 25% of league games).
“Therefore under NIHL RoC 8.6.1/Penalties, the game has been awarded 5-0 in favour of the Peterborough Phantoms.”
As a result, Wildcats’ 4-2 win has been reversed to a 0-5 loss with the second leg due to start in less than an hour.
