Lightning Are Looking Up!

Despite losing to closest EPL rivals Slough Jets last weekend, the only way is up for Milton Keynes Lightning, according to the team’s hot-shot forward Andre Smulter. Lightning used all their skill and determination to overcome a three goal deficit in only six minutes to level at 4-4 at the Hangar last Saturday but the Jets took the points, sending the visitors and their massed travelling supporters home disappointed.  Less than 24 hours later on home ice, Nick Poole’s men were quick to put that result firmly behind them, fighting Basingstoke all the way to emerge worthy 3-2 winners on home ice, thanks to the ice-cool composure of penalty-takers Adam Carr and Blaz Emersic at the death. This weekend, Lightning face another titanic battle in an unmissable fixture at home to Guildford Flames (Saturday 12 February).  Flames will be desperate for the win and two more points to keep them within sight of league leaders Manchester Phoenix, four points clear at the top of the EPL.  Last weekend Flames fell to a shock 6-3 defeat at the hands of struggling Peterborough Phantoms. Guildford will hope to pick up where they left off against Milton Keynes three weeks ago, leaving Planet Ice 3-6 winners.  However as recent results have shown, Lightning can never be written off until the final buzzer goes, with the current league champions always ready to fight to the death.  But recovering from a deficit is a pattern that the team doesn’t intend to rely upon, says the team’s current top scorer Smulter. “We’ve made very hard work for ourselves recently, having to score three goals just to draw even”, said the Finn.  “We know we did really well to come back from 4-1 down at Slough, then we had to recover again the following day against Basingstoke!  But it shows that Lightning never give up, we all keep pushing right until the end – and we can come from behind to take a win”.   Smulter looks certain to improve upon his 2009-10 season tally of 30 goals for the team and he praised morale in the MK dressing room, even when the going gets tough.  “Whatever happens there’s a fantastic team spirit here – we push each other hard, and we keep each others’ spirits up.  Even though we’ve had a couple of disappointing results recently, we aren’t looking behind us in the table, we only look upwards and keep fighting for wins.  We don’t want to be the comeback kings any more, we want to lead from the front!”