Let's keep it tight at the back, says Colin

Mar 8 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

COLIN Shields has told his fellow Vipers forwards it is time they gave goaltender Ryan MacDonald a break – starting with tonight’s trip to Sheffield Steelers.

In their last four games, all lost, a team which prides itself on being one of the Elite League’s best defensively has conceded progressively more goals, culminating in Tuesday’s 6-2 defeat to probable play-off opponents Nottingham Panthers.

Centreman Shields thinks the blame lies not with the defence but those in front of them.

“We’ve had some close road games going into the third period but not been able to finish it off,” said the Scot.

“That’s what we’re looking for on the road – to keep it a low-scoring game in the first two periods then snatch something at the end.

“But for whatever reason we’ve not given ourselves a chance to win the game by scoring goals late on and keeping it tight at the back.

“It’s especially tough for your goalkeeper and defencemen because we’re one of the lowest scoring teams so we put a lot of pressure on our defence and our goalie.

“It’s worse on Ryan so we have got to play more of a team game to help him out. We need them at their best for the play-offs because they’re going to be tight games.”

There is at least some respite on the horizon in the form of Pavel Gomenyuk, who is expected to return from a groin injury next week.

“Just to have that extra fourth import D man will be huge going into the play-offs,” Shields said.

“We probably haven’t had that since Petr Kratky and Pascha were both fit before Christmas. Burt Henderson’s not had it since he signed for us.

“It’s important just because it gives guys a chance to have a bit of a rest so they’re fresher for the play-offs.

“At this stage of the season we’ve got to get into the mindset of preparing for the play-offs.”

Tonight’s match is the last of four consecutive away games before the relief of tomorrow’s Newcastle Arena clash against bottom-of-the-table Hull Stingrays.

Shields, though, believes even playing at home has been problematic recently as the team strives to strike the right balance.

“I think we’ve played a tight game in the first couple of periods on the road but maybe at the Arena we feel we have to impress the home fans and make riskier plays,” he said.

“If we’re not a couple of goals up early on we can get a bit anxious because we perhaps feel we ought to be when we’re playing at home.”

The English National League (North) play-offs get under way at Ice Sheffield today. Whitley Warriors and the Vipers’ ENL side both travel to South Yorkshire this weekend, the Warriors today, their local rivals tomorrow.

Whitley entertain Nottingham tomorrow in the four-team round robin tournament.