Scimitars crushed by on fire Lightning
But team edged out by Phantoms
Milton Keynes Lightning produced one of their best home performances of the season on Saturday when they demolished Sheffield Scimitars by a 6-1 margin.
But they were unable to repeat the feat at Peterborough Phantoms a day later as they took a one goal lead only to fall behind 4-1 before a late rally saw the game finish 4-3 to the Cambridgeshire side.
An Ales Parez goal after just 49 seconds sent Lightning on their way – James Archer setting him up in front of goal.
On 5mins 3secs it was 2-0 as an unmarked Nick Poole fired home after Gary Clarke's effort was blocked.
An altercation between Grant McPherson and Robert Farmer saw both sent to the sin bin together with James Goodman for Scimitars – giving Lightning a powerplay from which they bagged their third goal with a close range Matt Towalski shot at 7mins 42secs.
Lightning continued to dominate the first period with Scimitars outplayed and outshot 22-10.
The visitors' plight grew worse in the second session with Archer shots on goal twice hitting the pipework before Zdenek Sikl shot wide for Sheffield during a rare moment of indecision in the home defence.
Peter Slamiar was then penalised for tripping allowing Lightning another powerplay which saw them increase their lead to 4-0 – Parez the provider for Adam Carr to fire into the goal from the blueline on 35mins 4secs.
Scimitars finally got off the mark when they were given a powerplay thanks to a cross-checking call on Michael Wales with Slamiar the supplier for a long range shot by Stephen Wallace at 48mins 15secs.
But that was brief respite for the visitors as Clarke won the puck in the Sheffield defensive zone for Andre Smulter to make it 5-1 at 52mins 32secs.
There was time for one more Lightning goal when Parez netted from the narrowest of angles at 57mins 17secs to round off a great night for the hosts.
Lightning carried on where they left off as they took on Peterborough Phantoms on Sunday – Smulter giving them the lead at around the four minute mark.
That was the only goal of the first period which preceded a second session in which things started to go wrong for Lightning as Lewis Christie, Smulter and Poole all received injuries. Christie was taken to hospital with what turned out to be a bruised shoulder while Smulter and Poole played on despite discomfort with leg injuries.
It also proved the turning point as the home side levelled through Brent Gough and then took the lead thanks to Nathan Rempel.
By the second break Lightning looked dead and buried with Joe Miller and Lewis Buckman making it 4-1 to Phantoms.
Brave Lightning staged a great recovery in the third period and narrowed the deficit through Parez before Lukas Zatopek made it 4-3 with his first goal for the club. But the city side were unable to find the game tying goal to send the game into overtime.
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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
