Lightning took to the ice only 48 hours after beating Bracknell Bees in a game postponed because of snow in December.  However a resilient MK showed no signs of fatigue and immediately set to work making sure the Tigers were kept firmly in their cage.  Leigh Jamieson, scorer of the winning goal in overtime two days earlier, found the back of Telford’s net with a powerplay goal after only six minutes, latching on to a pinpoint pass from Blaz Emersic, who is rapidly establishing a place for himself in supporters’ affections thanks to his immediate influence – which he demonstrated again only six minutes later, scoring his first goal at home in front of yet another sizeable, very vocal crowd.

Lightning were in no mood to ease off, and added to the scoreline only three minutes later when Nick Poole was the supplier for a Gary Clarke goal on 15:20.  Not content with one goal and an assist, Emersic scored his second goal of the evening, his unassisted shot beating Telford’s netminder just over a minute later to send Lightning into the first period break with a four-goal advantage.

Telford looked marginally hungrier in the second period but ultimately failed to capitalise on several penalty periods for the home team.  Player-coach Poole was provider again in the third period, expertly setting up skipper Adam Carr for Lightning’s fifth goal at 49:06.  By this point the visitors appeared to be running out of answers to the home side’s constant threats, again failing to capitalise on having a man advantage when Jamie Line visited the sin bin, their misery compounded when Lewis Christie scored the night’s sixth on 54:32, set up by former Tiger Gary Clarke.  The home side continued to pile on the misery when Clarke fired a shot past Telford netminder Declan Ryan with less than three minutes remaining on the clock, Adam Carr once again playing a key part.  The Tigers scored a consolation goal only two minutes before the end but it was too little, too late as Lightning once again delighted their supporters with another emphatic win.

The Tiger taming continued at Telford ice rink the following evening.  Despite conceding a powerplay goal to the Tigers after only four minutes, Nick Poole’s men clawed their way to a late victory to leave Tom Watkins’ side wondering where they went wrong.  After a stalemate second period, Lightning battled back in the third, and with just over six minutes remaining,  Gary Clarke connected with a pass from Nick Poole to even the scores.  Poole was again the supplier less than three minutes later, passing to Adam Brittle for a goal to put daylight between the two sides.  By now Lightning had no intention of backing off, and Blaz Emersic put the result beyond doubt with 54 seconds remaining, when he netted his fourth goal in three games.  Lightning’s second consecutive maximum-points weekend means Poole’s men are now breathing down the necks of Slough and Basingstoke in the EPL table, with five games in hand overall.
 

LIGHTNING AIM TO CLIP PHOENIX’S WINGS

This weekend sees an unmissable fixture in the English Premier League as reigning English Premier League champions MK Lightning go head-to-head with current league leaders Manchester Phoenix.

Lightning go into this showpiece match with confidence sky high following recent back-to-back shutouts against Peterborough and Guildford, and the 7-1 home demolition of Telford Tigers last weekend.  

The signing of Blaz Emersic from arch rivals Slough Jets has already paid dividends, the Slovenian scoring four goals in three games while deputising for injured Monir Kalgoum.  Kalgoum is hopeful of returning to action this weekend, and the addition of Emersic gives player-coach Nick Poole a wealth of options for deploying the most effective lines to neuter the threat from Tony Hand’s side.

Phoenix, meanwhile, have lacked their pre-Christmas cutting edge and have had to work hard to grind out narrow wins over several teams recently, notably Sheffield, Swindon and Telford, dropping three points to league title rivals Guildford Flames last weekend.  

Milton Keynes will be hoping to shut out their former colleague James Archer, but Phoenix imports Curtis Huppe and Marcus Kristoffersen will again be the primary danger men for Poole’s team to defend against, as they continue their mission to climb the English Premier League table.