Lightning recover after Bees loss
Team stage a Romford raid
Matt Towalski led the way as Milton Keynes Lightning recovered from a disappointing loss at home to Bracknell Bees to win 4-1 at Romford Raiders 24 hours later.
Towalski scored twice and assisted on one of the other goals to ensure that Lightning did not end the weekend pointless.
On Saturday Lightning were unable to make an impact against Bees as they slipped to a 5-2 defeat. – The last goal was an empty net strike from Peter Jasik and the margin perhaps gave a lop sided view of the game.
Neither Bees or Lightning could make anything of early powerplay chances until Grant McPherson was penalised for cross-checking.
Andrius Kaminskas blasted in on goal and Joe Greener was able to deflect the puck past goalie Barry Hollyhead at 14mins 19secs.
That was the only goal of the first, and indeed, second periods, with the hosts trailing by a single goal going into the third.
However all that changed within 57 seconds of the start of the third with Greener supplying Jeff Hutchins at the right pipe as Bees doubled their advantage.
Hollyhead was unable to deal with a close range Greener shot in the 46th minute for Bees' third goal, prompting a timeout by Lightning coach Nick Poole who was on the bench having been ruled out of playing by a groin injury.
Positional changes saw Greg Randall moved from defence to forward in the latter part of the game and Lightning got a goal back through Andre Smulter on 49mins 15secs.
Bees once more restored the three goal lead when Kaminskas got away from the home defence to score on 52mins 55secs.
Once more though Smulter, set up by Lukas Zatopek, gave Lightning hope with their second goal at 54mins 47secs from the acutest of angles.
With just over a minute remaining Hollyhead was withdrawn for the extra skater and it gave Bees the chance to wrap up the points with Jasik's strike at 59mins 36secs.
The following night Towalski got Lightning off the mark on 12mins 42secs with McPherson the supplier for the visitors to lead 1-0 at the first break.
There were no further goals until Towalski set up Michael Wales to net at 34mins 9secs before Darren Cotton registered with Romford's only goal 31 seconds later.
If Romford thought they were still in with a chance then a goal 1min 43secs into the third session effectively put an end to the hope as James Archer was the provider for Ales Parez to make it 3-1.
Towalski then wrapped up the points at 57mins 26secs, this time Parez and Archer got the assists.
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Weather for Milton Keynes
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -1 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
