Lightning stay in league title race following two victories
Lightning kept up the pressure for the English Premier League title with maximum points from their clashes with Wightlink Raiders and Chelmsford Chieftains.
The expected victory against Wightlink was a low-key affair with the visitors apparently intent on a damage limitation exercise from the start by packing their defence. Hence Lightning found it had to break through with meaningful shots on goal – despite outshooting the Raiders 55-18.
Almost inevitably the strategy did not prevent Lightning bagging the win with Greg Randall claiming the first with a shot from just inside the blueline on 6mins 53secs.
When Wightlink were handed a powerplay chance a few seconds later with Mikko Skinnari sent to the penalty bin for slashing they made little of it as Lightning did most of the attacking.
Lightning dominated the first period but had just Randall's goal to show for it.
Wightlink's defence was breached again after Steve Gosset was called for interference – Ales Parez netting the simplest of tap-ins after Randall's shot was saved but left keeper Toby Cooley committed at 25mins 6secs.
That sparked a mini fightback by Raiders with Nicky Watt and Gareth Endicott both testing goalie David Wride but he blocked both efforts.
At the other end Cooley twice denied Lightning when he stopped efforts by Adam Carr and Gary Clarke after he was beaten by a Matt Towalski shot which was cleared off the line.
The third period was just 11 seconds old when Lightning extended their lead thanks to a super Toni Alasaarela shot which looped over Cooley into the goal.
Skinnari could have made it 4-0 just inside the final quarter of an hour but his drive hit the right pipe.
The fourth goal did come when man of the match Kurt Irvine set up Grant McPherson who found himself in space on the left and was able to pick his spot past Cooley at 55mins 27secs.
The following day at the Riverside Centre Lightning took a 3-0 lead against Chelmsford before conceding three late goals to set up an anxious finish.
Parez put the visitors ahead on the powerplay after 11mins 19secs, assisted by Skinnari and Alasaarela to give them a 1-0 advantage at the first break.
In fact it was the only goal until the final second of the second session when Alasaarela set up Clarke to make it 2-0.
The third period turned out to be a penalty ridden affair with both Chelmsford and Lightning having goals disallowed while in between Clarke netted his second of the night with Alasaarela and Parez getting the assists on the powerplay at 47mins 52secs.
Chelmsford then started their fightback with Scott McKenzie being supplied by Darren Cotton on 49mins 44secs while on the powerplay.
Goal number two for Chelmsford came on 54mins 25secs when the hosts had a 4 on 3 advantage – Mark Stewart netting from Mike Marostega's set up
It was then powerplay time for Lightning and this gave them the chance to stretch the lead to 4-2 with Clarke providing the pass for Randall to score at 56mins 15secs.
But Chelmsford were not finished and they registered their third through Stewart with 1mins 6secs remaining to make it 4-3 to Lightning.
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Weather for Milton Keynes
Saturday 11 February 2012
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