LEEDS KNIGHTS came out on top in their double-header weekend against Bristol Pitbulls - picking up three points over the two nights.
The Knights were denied a maximum return due to their road trip to Bristol on the Saturday. Despite taking the lead five times, a stubborn Pitbulls team refused to lie down before snatching the extra point in overtime in a 6-5 win.
But, less than 24 hours later, the Knights proved to be the comeback kings themselves when they overturned a 2-0 deficit to run out 5-2 winners, 17-year-old Edgars Vengis the star man with a brilliant hat-trick.
Ahead of this weekend’s games at home to Telford Tigers - at The Castle on Saturday (face-off, 6.30pm) - and on the road at Peterborough Phantoms on Sunday - it leaves the Knights in third place in the NIHL National standings, six points off Sheffield Steeldogs in second with three games in hand and 13 points adrift of leaders Swindon Wildcats with one game in hand.
Desperate to make up for their overtime dismay in Bristol, the Knights got off to the worst possible start at The Castle against the Pitbulls when goals from Jake Bricknell and John Dunbar had the visitors in control after 25 minutes.
But a quick reply from Vengis, followed by a first NIHL national goal for Danny Harrison, soon had the Knights on level terms, before a second of the night for Vengis at 36.59 saw them go in 3-2 ahead at the second interval.
Vengis made it a night to remember when he sealed his hat-trick to make it 4-2 at 43.56 before Bow Neely wrapped up the scoring with his third of the season.
The previous night proved frustrating when the Knights could not pull clear of their hosts at any point.
Leeds took the lead for the first time when captain Kieran Brown fired home a loose puck from close range at 2.41.
Max Wigfield levelled on the power play at 13.42 and although the Knights got ahead again through Balint Pakozdi in the 19th minute, the hosts were quickly level thanks to John Dunbar’s strike at 18.45.
Brown’s second of the night was cancelled out by Jacob Bryceland’s wraparound before another milestone moment came for the Knights when Kurts Baumanis scored his first NIHL National goal at 27.58.
Dunbar then levelled with his second at 38.54 which is how it stayed until the third period when Innes Gallacher drove down centre ice to fire past Tommy Nappier at 44.49.
It looked like being enough for two points until Wigfield scored his second with less than seven minutes remaining. It was enough to force overtime when Bayley Harewood proved the difference maker, grabbing the extra point on offer with his winning strike past Sam Gospel at 61.27.
