On sunday Lightning produced their best start to a game all season to blow the Sheffield Scimitars away and continue their good form on the road. With Adam Radmall dressed but only icing in an emergency and Matty Towalski playing in a face cage after his horrible injury the night before, the team responded well to the disappointment of the previous night's overtime defeat by Romford. From the first whistle, Lightning set their stall out to go for the win, and some early pressure brought some smart stops from the Scimitars netminder Mark Lee. An early penalty for tripping against Lukas Zatopek brought about the first powerplay to Scims, but such was the control MK had in defence that they were reduced to only one effort on goal during it. After securing a powerplay of their own, the complex of the game was set when referee Wardell called Ben Morgan for accidental high sticks against Adam Carr which drew blood and gave the Sheffield captain 5+game. Just 6 seconds into the powerplay Lightning opened the scoring through James Archer redirecting a shot in to make it 1-0 at 11.11. Matty Towalski doubled the lead just under 2 minutes later, delaying his strike to slot over Lee after making the netminder commit himself on 13.04. A now rampant Lightning side went in for the kill, and although Scimitars saw off the rest of the major penalty without any further scoring, 3-0 was not far away. Some good work by Ross Green on the boards near the Sheffield bench saw him feed an onrushing Chris McEwen, and his strike from just inside the blue line found its way under the netminder at 16.43. To complete the scoring for the period, Gary Clarke showed everyone that he is back to his best by scoring a great solo effort at 18.04, turning 3 defenders inside and out before firing hard into the bottom corner. At the end of the period, Scimitars looked shellshocked with Lightning 4 goals to the good and thoroughly deserving of the scoreline.

Lightning started the second just as they finished the first, and a mazey run by Nick Poole saw him draw the defenders to him before his pass across the face of goal saw a simple tap in for Gary Clarke at 20.27 to extend the lead to 5. This saw Mark Lee being replaced in the Sheffield net by Paul Jones, and he saw some early action to keep out a fierce shot from Andre Smulter. Scimitars tried to find a way back into the game, but the Lightning defence stood firm with Barry Hollyhead keeping Sheffield at bay in the MK net. Indeed, as the second period wore on it looked like Lightning would turn the game into a rout, with Andre hitting the pipes and Gary twice being denied his hat trick, once with an amazing stop by Jones who managed to somehow tip the puck round the post and away. With no further scoring in the period Lightning went into the final 20 minutes 5 goals to the good.

With such a big lead, MK stepped off the gas in the third and in doing so gave the Scimitars a small glimmer of hope. Goals from Wallace and Sikl at 45.13 and 47.02 respectively saw the crowd get behind the home side, but coach Nick Poole did the sensible thing and took a 30 second time out to clear his side's collective heads and get their mind back on the game. By doing this, the team stepped their game up again and as the period wore on kept the Scimitars at bay and snuffed out any further hope they had of getting something from the game. At the final buzzer, Lightning had skated out 5-2 winners, with Haywood getting the mom for Sheffield and Ross Green picking up the mom award for Lightning for his all round good effort and for getting his first senior point. 

MKL Goals

11.11 Archer, Clarke, Zatopek PP
13.04 Towalski, Carr, Parez PP
16.43 McEwen, Green, McPherson
18.04 Clarke, Smulter, Carr
20.27 Clarke, Poole, Smulter

Sheffield Penalties

10.21 Sikl, 2 mins, slashing
11.05 Morgan, 2 mins, Hi sticks
11.05 Morgan,  20 mins, gross misconduct,
28.34 Duncombe, 2 mins,  ???

MKL Penalties

3.29 Zatopek, 2mins, tripping
45.00 Archer, 2 mins, interference
50.56 Zatopek, 2 mins, elbows

Shots on Goal

Sheffield – Lee – 22
Sheffield – Jones - 18
MKL – Hollyhead – 34

Referee – Steve Wardell
Linesmen – A Stanley, A Crawley