Phoenix move clear after top teams go at it
But Lightning thrash lowly Guildford
Lightning suffered from the backlash of Manchester Phoenix's 8-3 humiliation by bottom of the table Romford Raiders – but still put up a battling display when the top two sides met on Sunday.
The game was played at a high pace with the puck flying from end–to–end, as well as a spot of fisticuffs duing the third session between Lightning's Grant McPherson and Iain Bowie.
The visitors fell behind on 7mins 36secs as Robert Lachowicz struck on the powerplay after good work by Jaakko Hagelberg and Luke Boothroyd in the defensive zone.
But such was the intensity of the battle that neither side could take advantage of further powerplays before the first break.
As the second period got under way the clash became even more physical, with tempers threatening to explode on more than one occasion, and with good work by goalies, Steve Fone and Barry Hollyhead, there was no further scoring in the middle session.
Things looked bleak for Lightning once Phoenix had doubled their lead on 46mins 26secs with Ed Courtenay and Greg Wood moving play on and Hagelberg finishing off, finding a gap to the side of Hollyhead.
But the visitors hit back through Adam Carr, exiting the penalty box, to fire home at 55mins 45secs.
In a last ditch effort to get the equaliser Hollyhead was replaced by the extra skater and that allowed Phoenix's Courtenay to seal their victory with a third goal just five seconds from the buzzer.
Magnificent seven as Flames are beaten
Guildford Flames were gunned down in a super display by a rampant Lightning side on Saturday.
Lightning came out all guns blazing to leave Flames shell-shocked as they took a three–goal lead inside the opening 11 minutes.
The pressure was relentless in the early minutes with the home side taking full advantage of a powerplay after Flames' Rob Lamey was given a 10 minute misconduct penalty – Ross Bowers then firing in Nick Poole's behind the net pass at 4mins 27secs.
On 10 minutes Monir Kalgoum sent Leigh Jamieson away for the second goal – the big defenceman shooting in at the second attempt after his first effort hit the post.
In between netminder Barry Hollyhead had easily coped with two good Flames' chances from Martin Masa and Nathan Rempel, but in truth the visitors were never really in the contest.
A two–goal lead quickly became three when Adam Carr set up Michael Wales to find a gap past goalie Mark Lee at 10mins 28secs, leaving Lightning on course for win number three over the Surrey side this season.
Flames, uncharacteristically, seemed intent on playing a physical game and it was no surprise when things boiled over with Jamieson and Vinny Zavoral engaging in one of the best fights seen at Planet Ice.
The Lightning player easily won the battle with Zavoral sporting a bloody nose after the encounter.
By the first break 'keeper Lee had had enough and he was replaced in the second session by Dean Skinns.
Flames' fortunes looked up briefly when Carr was sent to the penalty box for interference and Jez Lundin supplied Rempel for Guildford's solitary goal from just inside the blue line at 32mins 20secs.
However by the second break Lightning had restored their three–goal advantage thanks to an interference call on Ben Austin – Bowers following up for a powerplay goal after his first effort was blocked just 46 seconds from the interval.
Any plans Flames had for a third session fightback were dealt a lethal blow only 3mins 41secs into the period as Monir Kalgoum's long pass up the right found Andre Smulter who raced away to fire high home.
In an extraordinary outburst of frustration Flames' player coach Paul Dixon earned himself a two minute spell in the sin bin for grabbing the puck and throwing it almost the length of two zones of the ice.
And his actions proved a costly move because Lightning capitalised on the powerplay with Jamieson setting up Lukas Zatopek for a trademark blueline blast into the net at 46mins 18secs.
Guildford were clearly a beaten side and they made nothing of a powerplay shortly after, although moments later former Lightning sniper Gary Clarke tested Hollyhead. It was possibly the best chance third-line Clarke – clearly being used on the wrong line – had all evening.
Bowers completed his hat-trick, seizing on a loose puck, for Lightning's seventh goal after 55mins 28secs.
With a minute to go Masa had the puck in the net – but unfortunately for him the net was off its mooring long before his shot went in.
Lightning fans will be hoping for more of the same on Saturday when Sheffield Scimitars visit Planet Ice, face off 7pm.
The following day Lightning head to struggling Romford Raiders, face off 5.15pm.
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Weather for Milton Keynes
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
