And not only did Lightning win – they did it in style with Gary Clarke bagging a hat-trick in a 5-2 win in which they were short-staffed with no Danny Chaplen and Aidan Mahmud to call on in addition to the injured Ales Parez and Greg Randall plus suspended Kurt Irvine.

Flames had player problems as well with Alex Mettam deputising in goal for the suspended Joe Watkins while high flying forward Josef Kohut was also ruled out with injury.

The victory ensured Lightning will finish top of their cup group – with the remaining fixture at Flames on Boxing Day now set to be a meaningless encounter.

Twenty-four hours earlier Lightning got their Knockout Cup campaign off to a fine start with a routine 8-1 win against struggling Wightlink Raiders at Planet Ice.

Sunday's match saw Lightning score first when Clarke was set up by Mikko Skinnari to score on 8mins 48secs. Flames quickly got back in the match when David Savage was the supplier for Milos Melicherik to level at 9mins 14secs.

The period looked to be heading for a 1-1 score at the break until Lukas Smital was penalised for a high stick at 19mins 25secs. Lightning made the powerplay count with Adam Carr making the pass for Clarke give the visitors the edge at 19mins 59secs.

A mistake by Flames in their defensive zone put Chris McEwen clear on goal and he made no mistake to extend the lead at 30mins 20secs. Things got worse for the hosts at 34mins 58secs when Clarke turned supplier for Toni Alasaarela to hit the back of the net.

From then on there was no way back for Flames and Clarke finished his hat-trick at 48mins 42secs before Smital grabbed what proved to be a second consolation for his side at 49mins 3secs.

On Saturday Lightning faced what at times seemed to be a one man team in the shape of Wightlink – only netminder Slavomir Sojak keeping the Raiders in the game in a first period in which all the home side had to show for their efforts was a solitary Skinnari slapshot goal on the powerplay at 6mins 1secs.

Inevitably the floodgates began to open early in the second session – but not before Raiders levelled through Nicky Watt's speedy reaction to a Robert Franc pass while on the powerplay at 20mins 27secs.

The hosts' lead was quickly restored as Nick Poole fired in on 23mins 15secs and Clarke made it 3-1 at 28mins 27secs thanks to his fast reactions.

Two quick goals from Adam Carr and Clarke again on 33mins 56secs and 34mins 12secs killed any lingering hopes Raiders had and they looked totally demoralised from then on.

Michael Wales found a way through on 43mins 14secs from close range before great work from Alasaarela saw hime lay the puck back for Skinnari to make it seven at 44mins 7secs.

Almost appropriately the scoring was rounded off with youngster Chaplen getting his first senior goal from Wales set up on 52mins 47secs.

That goalie Sojak received his team's man of the match award summed up the lack of effort from the remainder of his team-mates.

Lightning v Wightlink statistics:

Lightning scorers: Gary Clarke 2+0; Mikko Skinnari 2+0; Adam Carr 1+2; Michael Wales 1+1; Nick Poole 1+0; Danny Chaplen 1+0; Toni Alasaarela 0+4; Adam Radmall 0+1.

Wightlink scorers: Nicky Watt 1+0; Robert Franc 0+1; Gareth Endicott 0+1.

Shots on goal: On David Wride 13/1

On Slavomir Sojak 66/8

Guildford v Lightning statistics:

Lightning scorers: Gary Clarke 3+1; Chris McEwen 1+0; Toni Alasaarela 1+0; Mikko Skinnari 0+2; Adam Carr 0+1; Nick Poole 0+1; Daniel Croft 0+1.

Guildford scorers: Milos Melicherik 1+1; Lukas Smital 1+0; David Savage 0+1; Ollie Bronnimann 0+1; Dominic Hopkins 0+1.

Shots on goal: On Barry Hollyhead 29/2

On Alex Mettam 25/5