Lightning edged out in Ashes clashes
Sudden death goal wrecks challenge
A sudden death overtime goal destroyed Milton Keynes Lightning's hopes of retaining The Ashes Trophy against their fiercest rivals, Peterborough Phantoms, on Sunday.
Lightning took a slender two goal lead into the return leg at Bretton after winning 4-2 at Planet Ice on Saturday.
And they were still ahead on aggregate until just after the half way mark with Craig Peacock reducing the deficit to 4-3 on a 13th minute powerplay.
Lightning found themselves heavily outshot 16-6 in the first period and they were unable to improve that tally in the second session as Barry Hollyhead came under siege with Phantoms firing in 23 shots compared with the nine Phantoms goalie Euan King had to face.
Phantoms went 2-0 up on the night at 31mins 3secs when Maris Ziedins set up Nathan Rempel to beat Hollyhead, again on the powerplay, while Lewis Christie was serving two minutes for cross-checking.
Lightning increased their shooting rate in the final session but try as they might they could not find a way past King and so the game went into sudden death overtime where it took Joe Miller just over a minute to supply Brent Gough for the competition winning goal – Phantoms winning 5-4 on aggregate.
The previous evening in Milton Keynes it was Phantoms who got off to the better start with Gough stunning the home crowd thanks to a goal from close range, set up by former Lightning favourite, Dwayne Newman, after just 1min 18secs.
Lightning were unable to make any impression when presented with a powerplay as Ziedins was called for tripping and it was Peterborough who took full advantage when Greg Randall was penalised for hooking. Milton Keynes' net came under intense pressure before Rempel beat Hollyhead on the left on 16mins 36secs.
Peterborough deserved their lead at the first break with Lightning failing to put enough pressure on the opposition goal despite outshooting them.
After the break the home side stepped up a gear and were rewarded when James Archer put the final touch to Nick Poole's set up at 27mins 52secs.
Lightning drew level shortly after as Poole's pass from the right was met by Ales Parez to slot home on 30mins 15secs.
There was a great start to the third period for Lightning when Adam Carr was given time to pick his spot in the top of the net with only 59 seconds gone to give the hosts the lead for the first time.
Carr then set up the fourth goal sending Andre Smulter away for a long range power blast which goalie Stephen Wall got a touch to but could not stop from trickling over the goal line at 46mins 36secs.
There were no further goal on the night as Lightning a took what was to prove to be too small a lead to Peterborough the following evening.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Milton Keynes
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
