At the Milton Keynes Arena, a brisk evening of hockey ended with the Milton Keynes Lightning clinching a decisive 5-2 victory over the Solway Sharks. The match, characterized by strategic plays and high-intensity action, kept the fans on the edge of their seats.
First Period:
The Lightning seized control early in the game, with a quick goal from Ben Brown, assisted by siblings Carter and Cameron Hamill, setting the tone just over three minutes in. Momentum stayed with Milton Keynes as Ross Venus found the net shortly after, following a crisp setup from Dillon Lawrence and Ben Solder.
While the Lightning dominated possession, their pressure paid off once more on a powerplay, with Lawrence capitalizing on assists from Harry Gulliver and Tim Wallace. However, the Sharks showed signs of life late in the period when Liam Stenton broke away, scoring a short-handed goal thanks to a John Dunbar feed, making it 3-1.
End of First Period: Milton Keynes Lightning 3, Solway Sharks 1
Second Period:
Milton Keynes continued to exert pressure in the second stanza, their assertive play leading to a powerplay goal from James Griffin, with Rory Herrman and Caly Robertson contributing on the assists. As the period drew to a close, Mack Stewart added another unassisted, rounding the score out at 5-1.
End of Second Period: Milton Keynes Lightning 5, Solway Sharks 1
Third Period:
The final period saw the Sharks attempting a comeback, applying more offensive pressure. Their effort was rewarded with a powerplay goal by Stenton, his second of the night, assisted by Dunbar and Craig Peacock. Despite their push, the Sharks couldn’t bridge the gap further before the final buzzer.
End of Third Period: Milton Keynes Lightning 5, Solway Sharks 2
The game wasn’t without its contentious moments, highlighted by several penalties that added tension to this electrifying match-up.
Goal Summary:
| Team | Scorer | Assist 1 | Assist 2 | Type | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKL | Ben Brown | Carter Hamill | Cameron Hamill | Even Strength | 3:39 |
| MKL | Ross Venus | Dillon Lawrence | Ben Solder | Even Strength | 7:02 |
| MKL | Dillon Lawrence | Harry Gulliver | Tim Wallace | Powerplay | 15:36 |
| Visitor | Liam Stenton | John Dunbar | Short Handed | 17:22 | |
| MKL | James Griffin | Rory Herrman | Caly Robertson | Powerplay | 34:26 |
| MKL | Mack Stewart | Even Strength | 39:21 | ||
| Visitor | Liam Stenton | John Dunbar | Craig Peacock | Powerplay | 55:55 |
Penalty Summary:
| Team | Player | Penalty | Mins | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKL | Tim Wallace | Hooking | 2 | 11:29 |
| Visitor | (Bench) | Too many men | 2 | 14:38 |
| Visitor | Ross Murray | Hooking | 2 | 16:20 |
| Visitor | Calum McGill | High sticking | 2 | 32:30 |
| MKL | Harry Gulliver | High sticking | 2 | 43:13 |
| Visitor | Craig Peacock | Boarding | 2 | 46:29 |
| MKL | Mack Stewart | Cross-checking | 2 | 50:55 |
| Visitor | Stuart Kerr | Hooking | 2 | 53:22 |
| MKL | Ben Solder | High sticking | 2 | 55:09 |
Shots on Goal Summary:
| Goaltender | Shots Faced | Save Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| (MKL Goaltender) | 21 | 90.48% |
| (Sharks Goaltender) | 43 | 88.37% |
Player Statistics Summary:
Milton Keynes Lightning:
- Ben Brown: 1 Goal, 0 Assists, 0 Penalty Minutes
- Carter Hamill: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 0 Penalty Minutes
- Cameron Hamill: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 0 Penalty Minutes
- Ross Venus: 1 Goal, 0 Assists, 0 Penalty Minutes
- Dillon Lawrence: 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 0 Penalty Minutes
- Ben Solder: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 2 Penalty Minutes
- Harry Gulliver: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 2 Penalty Minutes
- Tim Wallace: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 2 Penalty Minutes
- James Griffin: 1 Goal, 0 Assists, 0 Penalty Minutes
- Rory Herrman: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 0 Penalty Minutes
- Caly Robertson: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 0 Penalty Minutes
- Mack Stewart: 1 Goal, 0 Assists, 2 Penalty Minutes
Solway Sharks:
- Liam Stenton: 2 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Penalty Minutes
- John Dunbar: 0 Goals, 2 Assists, 0 Penalty Minutes
- Craig Peacock: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 2 Penalty Minutes
- Ross Murray: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 2 Penalty Minutes
- Calum McGill: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 2 Penalty Minutes
- Stuart Kerr: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 2 Penalty Minutes
The match statistics underline the Lightning’s aggressive offense and solid defense, which ultimately provided them with a well-earned victory against the Sharks. The Sharks’ late-game rally proved insufficient to overturn the Lightning’s significant early lead.
