An early Christmas cracker is in store for supporters of Milton Keynes Lightning, as the team takes on Slough Jets in a double-header that could play a significant part in determining the club’s league and cup fortunes, heading into the Christmas break.

Nick Poole’s team beat the Jets at the first attempt this season with a deserved 3-1 win on the Berkshire team’s own ice, after failing to find a way past them in six attempts last season.  That victory helped propel the Lightning to the top of the English Premier League – and although their position has slipped since, six victories in a row means they now sit only a point behind Slough with a game in hand, and gunning  to secure back-to-back victories over last season’s EPL Cup winners, climb the table and secure a place in the cup semi-finals.

Pivotal MK defenceman Lukas Zatopek spoke after October’s victory at The Hangar of how that win gave Lightning a massive confidence boost and helped them consign last season’s losses against the Jets to history – and Assistant Coach Lewis Clifford said this week that that confidence is still very much in evidence, heading into this weekend’s mouth-watering fixtures.  “The guys can’t wait to get on the ice for these games - we know they won’t be easy, but as an athlete you want to play against the other top players and teams and test yourself to the limit”, he said. “We know if we come through these two games with the results we want, we’ll be in fantastic shape going into the Christmas break.

“A lot of fantastic hockey has been played already this season but the fans haven’t seen half of it yet -  I think our best is yet to come! Maybe this weekend is the weekend we will hit top form - it would certainly be good if it was.  The Jets are a top team who can beat anyone on their day and we’ll have to be at our very best to make sure we beat them again. The guys know what we need to do to be a successful unit, and our win at Slough in October was a great example of us playing our game to our system, and grinding out a tightly fought victory.

“The fans are in for a real treat this weekend, whether they are travelling to Berkshire on Saturday or waiting until the home game on Sunday, as they’ll be two absolutely cracking games. We may be into the festive period now, but we certainly won’t be giving the Jets any early gifts!”

The Lightning head into the this must-see double-header with confidence high after six successive victories, including a convincing midweek defeat of Basingstoke Bison, and seeing off a tenacious Telford Tigers side who defeated the Bison 24 hours earlier.  Slough go into this weekend after four consecutive wins, comprising back-to-back defeats of Sheffield Steeldogs, and having beaten Manchester Phoenix and Bracknell Bees the previous weekend.

The puck drops against Slough at Absolutely Ice on Saturday 10 December at 6.30pm, with the home leg on Sunday 11 December at Planet Ice MK, face off at 5.30pm.