Jets lose to Hawks in opener

Kingston Jets started their season against the Blackburn Hawks who had gone through some managerial changes through the summer. Having not beaten the Hawks last year the Jets were expecting a tough game.

Jets started strongly laying Baxendale’s net under intense pressure in the first period putting 22 shots on the Blackburn goal. Matt Jeffcock scored the Jets first goal of the season after 19 minutes to give the hosts a 1-0 lead at the first intermission.

The second period started with more Jets pressure before Hawks player coach put levelled proceedings with a shorthanded tally on 24 minutes. The Jets then ran into some serious penalty trouble spending the majority of the last twelve minutes of the period shorthanded through a series of minor penalties. Blackburn capitalised on a power play with Andy Dunn sitting in the box after 34 minutes to take the lead for the first time in the game.

Jets rallied late in the period with Matt Jeffcock adding his second tally on a feed from Adam Elliott and Dan Sayer. Shortly after the tying goal Kingston netminder Karl Holmes had to leave the ice suffering from cramp to be replaced by Tristain Rodgers. After two periods the scores were tied at 2-2.

The third period saw the Hawks come out strong and take advantage of the netminder change scoring after a minute through Wayne Slater’s second goal to take the lead for the second time. Jets responded 4 minutes later through a Ben Lowe strike assisted by Mark Florence and Dan Hackford. Disaster struck again for the Jets on 49 minutes conceding another shorthanded goal this time from an Anthony Kinder shot. Shortly after netminder Karl Holmes returned between the pipes having recovered from cramp.

The game looked to be beyond Jets when Wayne Slater added his hattrick goal 3 minutes later to extend the Hawks lead to 5-3. However Jamie Cobley marked his return to the Jets with a goal 40 seconds later to set up a tense finish.

The Jets pressed for the tying goal pulling Holmes for the final minute however despite their efforts they couldn’t find the net. Karl Holmes was awarded player of the game for Kingston facing 50 shots in his first game back in a Jets jersey.

Coach Andy Daintith: “Obviously I’m disappointed to come away from the game with nothing. The lads put in a great deal of effort and I feel we were good enough to get at least a point out of this game if not the win.”