Raiders repelled as Lightning hit nine without reply
Wightlink Raiders were never in with a chance of victory as Lightning cruised to the expected win at Planet Ice.
From the first face off bottom of the table Raiders looked as though they were expecting defeat – the only question was the margin of loss.
It was somewhat of a surprise then that the hosts only had a one goal lead to show for their efforts in the first quarter of an hour – especially as Nick Poole had set up Ross Bowers for a high blast from the right which caught out goalie Slavomir Sojak as early as 1min 52secs.
Ales Parez almost made it 2-0 on 13 minutes but his effort was parried by Sojak and went past the post.
The second goal did come at 16mins 18secs when Adam Carr supplied Toni Alasaarela from the right. As the Finn shot he was cross checked from behind by Andrew Shurmer but none the less he managed to put the puck in the net – the Raiders man earning two plus 10 for his misdemeanour.
And while Shurmer was sitting out his penalty Alasaarela made him pay with a second strike on 17mins 37secs after Sojak was unable to hold a Mikko Skinnari shot.
Lightning outshot Raiders 18-8 and it was much the same story in the second as they fired 16 shots to the visitors five.
Almost inevitably the home side were able to increase their lead on 25mins 14secs as Parez was provider for Bowers to bag his second of the night from close range.
The home team survived a penalty call on Skinnari for hooking before Grant McPherson sent Matt Towalski away up the left, his cross being converted by Michael Wales at 33min 17secs.
Unfortunately Wales picked up an injury late in the period and did not ice in the third.
Lightning made it 6-0 at the second break when Parez held up the puck up before supplying Gary Clarke to score on 34mins 49secs.
That signalled the departure of Sojak who was replaced by Toby Cooley.
During the third period Cooley did well to keep out a Parez shot after he went round the net but the goalie could do little when faced with an onslaught of shots while Chad Reekie was serving time for interference.
First Skinnari had a shot saved then Clarke's effort rebounded only for Adam Carr to seize on the loose puck and put it away at 46mins 59secs.
Bowers completed his hat-trick on 55mins 30secs – seconds after Wightlink had called a timeout.
Again man of the match Parez was the supplier.
Bowers went on to claim a fourth goal when he fired home a Poole pass at the left of goal on 56mins exactly.
Lightning scorers: Ross Bowers 4+0, Toni Alasaarela 2+0, Gary Clarke 1+2, Adam Carr 1+1, Michael Wales 1+0, Ales Parez, 0+4, Mikko Skinnari 0+4, Nick Poole 0+2, Matt Towalski 0+1, Grant McPherson 0+1, Aidan Mahmud 0+1.
Nets – David Wride 21/0.
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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
