Tuomas Tikkanen bagged his first point for Lightning but it was not enough to prevent the team slipping to their third successive defeat with a 4-2 loss at Guildford Flames.

Rick Plant’s empty net goal with four seconds to go gave a slightly unreal perspective to the score, with the visitors always in the game until that stage.
Blaz Emersic was unfortunate to see his early shot hit the pipework before Lightning had two unfruitful powerplay chances as Flames incurred a too many men penalty and then Plant was sent to the sin bin for holding.

It was Plant who set up Milos Melicherik for the opening goal for Flames after 17mins 38secs and it remained 1-0 at the first break.

A pair of penalties on Flames – David Longstaff for interference and Paul Dixon for high stick plus one on Lightning for too many men – came and went without any scores.

Lightning equalised on 32mins 52secs when Leigh Jamieson was the supplier for Emersic – Tikkanen getting the other assist.

But Flames quickly responded when recent returnee Jozef Kohut got their second at 33mins 9secs.

There was a quick reply from Lightning with Adam Carr levelling 29 seconds later.
A hooking call on Michael Farn allowed Flames to go 3-2 in front on the powerplay thanks to a Longstaff assisted goal by Nathan Rempel.

With 50 seconds remaining Lightning replaced goalie Barry Hollyhead for the extra skater and that gave Plant the opportunity to wrap the game up on the empty net.

Guildford Goals

17.38 Melicherik, Plant, Kohut E
33.09 Kohut,  Dixon, Lundin E
54.31 Rempel, Longstaff, Kvetan PP
59.56 Plant ENG

MKL Goals

32.52 Emersic, Jamieson, Tikkannen E
33.38 Carr E

Guildford Penalties

6.19 bench, 2 mins, too many men
9.03 Plant, 2 mins, holding
26.26 Rempel, 2 mins, inerference
29.50 Dixon, 2 mins, hi sticks

MKL Penalties

19.46 Jamieson, 1 mins, tripping
27.54 bench, 2 mins, too many men
48.55 Green, 2 mins, tripping
52.44 Farn, 2 mins, hooking

Referee – Joy Tottman
Linesmen – Stefan Hogarth, Ryan Cooper