Good stuff from Lightning tonight as they came out with some intent in this entertaining pre-season matchup with Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday night in Milton Keynes. The performance couldn’t carry into a result, with a late fightback by Phantoms meaning it ended up AIB MK Lightning 2-3 Peterborough Phantoms.
The evening began with an impeccably observed two minutes silence to honour Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, followed by an emotional rendition of God Save the King sung by Lauren Clarke.
Both teams hit the ice and played with a combination of organisation and a little bit of rustiness after the off-season. Lightning opened the scoring after 6:11 with a breakaway from Bobby Chamberlain, who was fed with an innovative back heel in centre ice from Liam Stewart. Chamberlain had the speed to get up the ice and bury it low to Marr’s left.
Halfway through the first period Chamberlain headed to the box for 2 mins for a cross check in the Lightning defensive corner. Phantoms took their chance on the PowerPlay, with former MKL player Luc Johnson deflecting the puck off his shin past Hedley to make it 1-1. Chamberlain headed to the box once more to end the period, with a check off the puck earning him two for interference. The first period ended 1-1 with 9 shots on each net.
Lightning came out in the second with a head of steam, and it was Mack Stewart who put MKL ahead with a burst of speed up the right wing to pick up a pass off the boards from Sam Talbot. Stewart shot low and hard and it squeezed through Marr’s pads to trickle over the line at 22:26. The game then continued with some good pressure and tempo from the MKL team who looked motivated and energetic.
Just after 30 mins, a nice move from Talbot sliding across to Jamieson ended with nothing as Jamieson shot just wide. The period continued with a lack of real clear chances, and ended 2-1 Lightning with the hosts outshooting the visitors 14-8 in the second.
Peterborough came out strongly in the third, and a decent combination of passing saw them go close at 44:30, which then led to a period of confidence and pressure from the visitors, calling Jordan Hedley into a string of critical saves over the next 5 mins or so. Eventually it was penalty trouble which turned the game. Hedley was called for playing the puck outside the trapezoid, leading to 2 for delay of game which led to Wallace arguing his side’s case and earning 2 mins for unsportsmanlike conduct. After 9 seconds of 3 on 5, Luc Johnson got 2 for slashing, and with the game 3 on 4 it opened up with the extra space and again Hedley was called on to make a critical save.
The breakthrough came at 56:04 when Bowering put Sladkovsky through for the Phantoms to equalise, his finish being a nice backhand top corner. And then to spoil Lightning’s night Buglass and Robson combined to feed Padelek alone on the left and he unleashed a huge slapshot which went top corner on Hedley to make it 2-3.
Stewart and Chamberlain got fairly close in the dying seconds, but Lighting were unable to come back and it ended with a Phantoms win 2-3.
Lightning man of the match was debutant Mack Stewart, who looked fast and confident in attack all night.
