Lightning can cope with congestion

As the ice hockey season approaches its climax, with postponed games and cup ties to be accommodated amongst league games, fixture congestion can be a concern for some teams – but Milton Keynes Lightning are confident they can cope with their workload. Currently in the middle of a period which sees them play five games in nine days,  Lightning sit a solid fifth in the English Premier League table, with four games in hand overall and within catching distance of both Slough Jets and Basingstoke Bison above them. Lightning’s loud and loyal supporters have a real treat in store this week, with a must-see midweek home fixture against Slough Jets this Wednesday (23 February 7.30pm) only 72 hours before before going head-to-head with local rivals Peterborough Phantoms (Saturday 26 February, 7pm).  A road trip to Slough’s rink on Sunday 27 February rounds off what is guaranteed to be an action-packed nine days for Nick Poole’s men. (match report now available) Last time the Jets came to Milton Keynes, the reigning EPL title-holders matched the visitors all the way before being cruelly defeated by a controversial Blaz Emersic shot with less than a minute of regulation time remaining.  Since then the Slovenian has switched allegiance and will be gunning to help his current team beat his former paymasters for the first time this season. Saturday sees Peterborough come to the Thunderdome for the final time this season. Honours are even between the two sides this season but last time the two teams faced each other in Milton Keynes, Lightning shot four unanswered goals past a subdued Phantoms side. This Wednesday’s game at home against Slough is the first of four games still in hand for Lightning, with outstanding fixtures against Manchester, Telford and Peterborough still awaiting scheduling confirmation – but head coach Nick Poole is confident his side can cope with a busy calendar.   “Our squad is back to full strength now, and that’s more than some other sides can say at the current time”, he said.  “We’re absolutely delighted that Monir Kalgoum is back to full fitness now, and he proved he’s ready to be back by scoring against Manchester last Sunday. “Having Monir back means not only do we have a full squad available for selection, but that includes five imports – and that gives us the flexibility to change our lines around if we need to, to get the best results. “Yes, it’s going to be a busy run-in to the end of the season and play-offs, but the games in hand are fixtures we’d have had to play anyway – not extra cup fixtures, which the four clubs above us all have to accommodate.  Obviously we’re disappointed not to be in the EPL cup this season but not having those extra matches means our players will be fresher than they otherwise might be for coping with the season run-in, and the play-offs.  We’re confident we can get the best out of the fixtures we have left to play”.