Bradon out to make his mark on the play-offs
Last year, Finley Bradon missed the majority of Leeds Knights’ NIHL National play-off campaign. This time he hopes to be front and centre of it.
Bradon was in Belgrade for the Under-18 Division 2A World Championships in Belgrade and so missed all of the Knights’ postseason. Well, almost.
Returning home on Sunday from Serbia, he hot-footed it to Coventry’s SkyDome Arena in time to make it onto the Knights’ bench to suit up for the play-off final against Raiders IHC.
Given his absence over the previous weeks, his role was restricted to just the one shift as the Knights went on to win 5-4 and clinch the league and play-off double. Aside from international duty, Bradon, now 18, has been an ever-present for the Knights as they swept to a second straight regular season league title.
Another play-off crown would do just nicely, says Bradon. “I was in Serbia with GB when the play-offs were on last year, but I came back for the last day and I got a shift in the final, which was great,” said Bradon.
“There is a desire in the room to go and do back-to-back doubles. For a lot of us, I think there was even some doubt among people in the room, especially at the start of the year, about whether we could win the league again.
“But we know this is a group that is going all out for the win at any cost, we’ve proved that enough times this season.
“It’s about getting the job done and winning the league for a second time has given us even more confidence.
“When we’re confident, we’re a good team.”
Following last night’s home game against Solway Sharks, the Knights close out their regular season on the road at Hull Seahawks tomorrow (face-off 5.30pm).