Lighting hit double-figures in Pirates thrashing

Fans were treated to a goal feast for the second successive game at MK Arena when MK Lightning outplayed Hull Pirates in an 11-3 victory on Saturday.
MK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony SargentMK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony Sargent
MK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony Sargent

The game was over as a contest almost before it began with the first goal coming inside the first two minutes and the hosts establishing a 5-0 lead by the first break.

Bobby Chamberlain opened Lightning’s account after only 1min 38secs unassisted - and then had the dubious honour of incurring the first penalty a couple of minutes later for boarding.

But Hull were unable to make anything of the powerplay and on 7mins 15secs Luc Johnson bagged his second senior goal – the providers being Billing and Chamberlain.

MK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony SargentMK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony Sargent
MK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony Sargent

Tommi Laine threatened the Lightning goal just after the midway stage but goalie Jordan Marr stopped his effort ahead of the first goal of Frankie Bakrlik’s hat-trick which made it 3-0 at 14mins 28secs – the set up coming from Blaz Emersic and James Griffin.

If Hull thought Lightning might ease off a little they were wrong - it wasn’t long before Pirates’ netminder Martins Raitums was picking the puck out of the net again as Martti Jarventie made the pass for Glenn Billing to register on 16mins 19secs.

Eighteen seconds from the first interval Lewis Christie’s fifth goal gave Hull coach Dominic Osman plenty to talk about in the changing room – Emersic and Bakrlik making the supply.

Hull finally found the net after Jarventie was called for interference in the 27th minute with Nathan Salem firing home on 28mins 20secs for a powerplay strike.

MK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony SargentMK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony Sargent
MK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony Sargent

Perhaps slightly rocked by that goal Lightning then conceded a second on their return to full strength with Jordan Fisher finishing off from Jamie Cobley and Sam Towner at 29mins 49secs.

But then it was back to business for the home side as Bakrlik and Ed Knaggs helped set up Jordan Cownie to make it 6-2 on 32mins 45secs 50 seconds - before Pirates got their final goal through Lee Bonner.

The response could hardly have been swifter with Lightning’s reply coming just 11 seconds later as Lewis Hook got in on the act, assisted by Chamberlain and Michael Farn.

And for good measure Farn and Cownie were then providers for Bakrlik to beat Raitums for the final time to make it 8-3 on 39mins 18secs.

MK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony SargentMK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony Sargent
MK Lightning vs Hull. Pic: Tony Sargent

Pirates changed netminders at the start of the third session – Ashley Smith taking up position between the pipes only to find himself looking at the puck in the net 58 seconds later with Chamberlain, assisted by Markku Tahtinen and Cownie taking the score to 9-3.

There was a little bit of a gap before Lightning added their tenth goal through Cownie – the supply coming from Tahtinen – at 49mins 1secs.

By then Hull must have been wishing referee Matt Thompson would end the game early to spare them further heartache.

However Lightning were still in the mood for goals and Smith did well to keep out a couple of efforts with only a few minutes to go. He could not though stop Bakrlik from rounding off his hat trick 25 seconds from the buzzer thanks to Cownie’s set up.

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