Anyone expecting a similar result to the game at the Link Centre were mistaken as Milton Keynes struggled to hit top gear in the first period.

Despite being out-shot by the visitors, Lightning went into the first
interval 1-0 ahead – Greg Randall scoring from close range with assists from Alez Parez and Toni Alasaarela.

Parez could have doubled Lightning's advantage but was denied on a breakaway by Nathan Craze late on in the period.

Lightning upped their game in the second period and took the match to Swindon. However, for all of the hosts' chances on their numerous powerplays only two caused any serious concern.

The first was a shot from Gary Clarke which cannoned off the post, the other being a superb wrist shot goal from Matt Towalski which Craze had no chance of saving.

Lightning moved the puck well and worked the Swindon defence hard. However, a number of shots were either fanned away or went wide and the team's scoring touch looked to have been left in Wiltshire.

The city side were given a few scares, most notably when Wildcats' Lee Cowmeadow was denied a breakaway by Lightning captain Gary Clarke.

Swindon took control of the game in the final period and worried the Lightning defence a number of times, but for all their effort they rarely tested Lightning netminder Barry Hollyhead.

With five minutes left Swindon finally got the breakthrough and ended Hollyhead's hopes of a third competitive shut-out this season when Ciaron Long capitalised on some space and fired the puck over Hollyhead's glove hand.

A tense finish was anticipated, but Lightning killed the game off by keeping hold of the puck and not allowing the visitors any time to get forward.

The Lightning possession wound the clock down and even prevented Swindon from replacing Nathan Craze in favour of an extra attacker.
l On Saturday, Swindon coach Peter Russell told his local newspaper he hoped to keep the game at the Links Centre tight with Wildcats hoping to get goals on the breakaway.

However, that plan was blown apart within five minutes as Ales Parez put Lightning ahead with a powerplay goal after 4m 55s and man of the match Nick Poole extended the lead at 8m 25s.

Ross Bowers added to Wildcats' misery to give the visitors a 3-0 lead at the first break, scoring after 15m 26s.

The home side kept Lightning at bay for most of the second session but then conceded twice in a minute – Gary Clarke netting on a powerplay at 36m 42s while Adam Carr got in on the act just a minute later.

Wildcats replaced netminder Nathan Craze for Joe White for the third session and he was picking the puck out of the net within 59 seconds of the restart as Clarke was on the mark again.

The home side scored their only goal – ending Lightning's record 166 minutes of play without conceding a goal – when Erik Bochna registered a short handed goal.

It proved to be a consolation and the final goal of a game in which Lightning always looked comfortable.

The wins ensured Lightning stayed top of the table, but they will have a tough test this weekend as they face second place Bracknell Bees at Planet Ice on Saturday.