Play-offs are still a possibility after Lightning's four-point weekend

Leeds Chiefs were defeated twice as Milton Keynes Lightning continued their quest to cement a play-off place at the weekend.

Lightning remain in seventh spot in the National Ice Hockey League thanks to Sheffield Steeldogs’ two victories but they are just three points behind fourth placed Hull Pirates who visit Planet Ice on Saturday.

MK made hard work of things on Saturday ran out 4-3 winners in the end against Chiefs while in the return game at Leeds’ new Elland Road rink the result was more clear-cut with a 4-1 scoreline.

At home Lightning recovered from a poor first period in which they trailed 3-1 at one stage to hit Chiefs with two goals in 24 seconds early in the third period to secure the win.

It was not until the lines were tweaked at the start of the final session with Rio Grinell-Parke replacing Leigh Jamieson on the Liam Stewart and Taylor Dickin combination – Jamieson moving back into defence – that things started to click. It also gave Hallden Barnes-Garner the chance of some ice time in filling the gap left by Grinell-Parke to accompany Tom Carlon and Harry Ferguson on the third line.

Leeds opened the scoring on 4mins 41secs through Lewis Houston before Lightning had even really got going.

Cale Tanaka and Russell Cowley earned the assists on Tomas Kana’s equaliser which gave the goalie no chance at 7mins 20secs. But Lightning soon fell behind again when top scorer Adam Barnes fired past goalie Jordan Lawday on 10mins 37secs. Sloppy defending was responsible for Chiefs’ third goal when Ethan Hehir netted at 17mins 23secs.

Just 17 seconds later both Tanaka and Chief’s Patrik Valcak were consigned to their respective sin bins on slashing and hooking penalties, giving the teams four skaters apiece with Lightning making the most of it as Russ Cowley set up Kana to reduce the deficit to one goal five seconds later at 17mins 45secs.

In the second period MK wasted a powerplay opportunity when Hehir was called for delaying the game – producing no threat to Sam Gospel in the Leeds goal and there was precious little offence as well when Luke Boothroyd was sin binned for interference in the 31st minute – Chiefs’ going closest towards the end of the penalty as Patrik Valcak was stopped from getting a good shot away.

Going into the third period Chiefs were still defending their 3-2 advantage from the first session. But all that changed in an instant – probably due to the line switches. First Tom Carlon scored a goal out of nothing after gaining possession between the two circles and firing round a packed Chiefs defence to level at 43mins 24secs.

Before Leeds had time to regain their composure Gospel was picking the puck out of the goal again when Kana set up James Griffin with the goal to celebrate his return to the team after injury at 43mins 58secs.

With 1min 50secs remaining Chiefs called a time-out leading to with the withdrawal of Gospel for the extra skater 15 seconds later. But it was all to no avail as the home defence remained solid for the win.

On Sunday an early goal from Grinell-Parke put Lightning on their way to a 4-1 victory at Leeds and although Chiefs hit back with an equaliser in the eighth minute it was Lightning who were in command for much of the game.

Russ Cowley joined the list of absentees from the roster as well as Ross Green, Grant McPherson, Robin Kovar and Brandon Stones, leaving MK short-benched. But that did not stop Grinell-Parke from beating Gospel unassisted on 4mins 8secs. Leeds levelled when Patrik Valcak set up Lewis Houston at 8mins 35secs.

Early in the second session a James Griffin effort forced a good save from Gospel before the visitors’ goalie, Dean Skinns, was tested ahead of the go ahead goal when Kana supplied Tanaka on 24mins 3secs.

Just over a minute later at 25mins 23secs Lightning increased their lead to 3-1 as Liam Stewart set up Taylor Dickin for his first goal for the team before the visitors appeared to have scored another quick goal, only for the effort to be washed out due to a player being in the goalie’s crease.

Both teams struggled to find their rhythm when the third period began although Skinns was called into action early on and as the game went into the final ten minutes MK were put under a lot of pressure before they put the result beyond doubt when Grinell-Parke supplied Stewart for the fourth goal on 55mins 10secs.