SWINDON, UK – A few facts and figures coming out of this weekend. The two wins, against the Flames and Jets, gave the Wildcats their best run of home wins with four games, and, outshot in both games making that a total of 35 to 14 games. Jan Krajicek joined Raimonds Danilics as the joint leading assists scorers, although ironically, it is Jason Cassells who still has the best assist average.
In the league stats, Aaron Nell still sits midway up the Top Ten British Points Scorers chart, and near the top of the Top Ten British Goal Scorers chart while Joe Baird remains midway up the Top Ten British Penalty Receivers chart. The Wildcats still have the fewest bench penalties, and also still lead the overtime chart with eleven games going beyond regular time, so no change there.
Thursday and Jets’ coach Pete Russell, following their losses to the Wildcats and Bison at the weekend which just about finished their chances of snatching the title from the Lightning, told the local press it was ‘a massive wake-up call for everyone because if we play like that again we won’t get any success.’
On Friday Wildcats top goal scorer Aaron Nell, commenting on the forthcoming game against top placed Milton Keynes, told the Swindon Adver, ‘I think Milton Keynes can win the league on Saturday but we’ll be trying to ruin the party.’ Good on you, Aaron.
On to Saturday and although the Wildcats lost to the Lightning the three-one score was no humiliation because having previously fought two games into overtime, the two points is as good as anyone other than the Jets and Phoenix, and only once have the Wildcats lost by three goals. It might also come as a surprise to note that only the Jets have had fewer Lightning goals scored against them, and only just. So a creditable result, and although not quite spoiling the league-winning party as Nell had hoped, it did make them hold the fire with lighting the candles. On the positive side, with the Bees losing to the Flames the eighth playoff place is still up for grabs.
And grab at it they did. The Wildcats traveled to Sheffield and came away with the points making it five wins and an overtime loss in their last eight games, their best run of the season. While you might expect Nell to get the goal he did, it was great to see Sam Bullas add to his total in what has been an improving second half to the season. Oddly, though, comparing the two halves of the season, while everyone’s penalties totals have at least doubled for the second half other than for Loris Taylor and Lee Richardson who have both remained pretty constant, Bullas’s total has barely risen.
However, the Bees lost again in a cracker of a game against the Flames, which means there are now two points worth of clear air between them and the Wildcats, so everything still to play for.
For more Wildcats stats and news please take a look at my website – www.swindonwildcats.me.uk
Contact: bill.collins@prohockeynews.com
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