Liam Stewart finally made his season debut for Milton Keynes Lightning as they travelled to Sheffield Steeldogs for their final away National League Autumn Cup game on Sunday. However, that was almost the only bright spot on a difficult night for Lightning who were missing captain Russ Cowley as well as injured defenceman Ross Green. Bobby Chamberlain netted MK’s only goal when Steeldogs outclassed them in an 8-1 defeat. Sheffield snapped up Hull Pirates coach Jason Hewitt when the Humberside outfit decided they would not be competing this year. And it has proved to be a wise move – Hewitt [...]

Two Leeds Knights goals in 90 seconds turned the tide of a National League Autumn Cup game in which Milton Keynes Lightning were in with a chance of winning at Planet Ice on Saturday. With less than nine minutes remaining, the encounter was evenly poised at two goals apiece. However, a penalty on Hallden Barnes-Garner for instigation of a fight, which followed an accidental collision between Adam Laishram and his Leeds marker, gave the visitors a powerplay from which they edged in front through Jordan Griffin on 51mins 19secs. Former Lightning player Cole Shudra – son of ex-Sheffield Steelers defenceman, [...]

A goal from Leigh Jamieson 16.9 seconds from the end of overtime sealed an incredible fightback by Milton Keynes Lightning when they overcame Swindon Wildcats 5-4 to take the National League Autumn Cup points at Planet Ice on Thursday. It was a sweet win for home fans who expected to see the return of Liam Stewart after suspension. But inspection of the rules showed his ban still had two games to run. Trailing 4-1 at the half way mark, the hosts looked to be in for a heavy defeat before Wildcats conspired to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory [...]

Practice-starved Milton Keynes Lightning slipped to a 3-1 NIHL Autumn Cup defeat at Slough on Sunday – sunk by two second period Bees goals before being struck by a third blow early in the final session. Lightning, whose training schedule was disrupted by ice problems at Planet Ice, were unable to make anything of an early advantage when Bees’ forward Joshua Smith was sin binned for four minutes on a high sticking call. The hosts were reduced to three skaters during Smith’s penalty as teenager Bayley Harewood joined him in the cooler on a tripping penalty. Having survived that Bees [...]

James Archer returned to the Milton Keynes Lightning fold for the first time in 12 years and quickly made his mark on the NIHL Autumn Cup game at Telford Tigers on Saturday. Archer who played for Lightning for one season in 2008-2009 set up the first goal when James Griffin put the visitors ahead on 8mins 18secs. He stepped into the team on a temporary basis to fill the void left by the absence of captain Russell Cowley and Liam Stewart. Griffin’s opener came as Tigers’ Daniel Mitchell was sitting out a two minute penalty for cross checking. Once back [...]

Milton Keynes Lightning were unable to recover from going two goals behind when they went down 4-1 to Peterborough Phantoms in the National Autumn Cup on Sunday. MK welcomed back Adam Laishram after his absence on Saturday but were still under strength with the continued absences of Liam Stewart, Sam Russell and back-up goalie Matt Smital. They soon found they were behind, conceding a delayed penalty goal to Ales Padelek on 2mins 45secs after captain Russ Cowley was called for tripping. The game was five minutes old Tom Norton clashed with Sean Norris – both receiving fighting penalties – the [...]

Under-strength Milton Keynes Lightning came from two goals behind to seal an NIHL Cup victory in overtime against a resilient Raiders at Planet Ice on Saturday. The 4-3 win came despite Lightning missing five members of the roster with Ross Bowers persuaded to come out of retirement to help out and former MK Storm junior goalie Thomas Adams, now on Haringey Huskies’ books, filling the gap left by the injury to back up netminder Matt Smital. After a slow start the hosts gradually found a way into the game and in the third period the partnership between former Basingstoke Bison [...]

Match Reports are brought to you in association with A2B Airport Transfers Hull Pirates 6, Smith Recycling Milton Keynes Lightning 5 A Tomas Kana hat-trick was not quite enough to ensure Smith Milton Keynes Lightning success on Humberside when they lost out by the odd goal in 11 as the battle for mid-table places continued on Sunday. While on the face of it the finishing spots in the middle of the National Ice Hockey League may not seem to matter in fact they do in determining the end of season play-off groups. Fifth spot would mean Lightning playing [...]

Match Reports are brought to you in association with A2B Airport Transfers Smith Recycling MK Lightning 7, Leeds Chiefs 4 Rio Grinell-Parke bagged a hat-trick on a night of celebrations for Smith Recycling Milton Keynes Lightning at Planet Ice on Saturday when the team confirmed their place in the end of season play-offs with a comfortable 7-4 win over Leeds Chiefs. Before the face-off the club honoured Leigh Jamieson, who had made his 500th appearance for the club the previous weekend, with a presentation to him and his family by Lightning chief executive officer Claire Eason-Bassett - former [...]

Match Reports are brought to you in association with A2B Airport Transfers Leigh Jamieson made his 500th appearance for Smith Recycling Milton Keynes Lightning as they stunned second in the league Swindon Wildcats with a 5-4 victory at the Link Centre on Saturday. Ross Green returned from injury and Grant McPherson was back after suspension but Lightning were still missing captain Russ Cowley, Robin Kovar and Brandon Stones. ‘Jaimo’ who began his hockey career with Milton Keynes Junior Kings 25 years ago put Lightning on the road to the win when he levelled on 10mins exactly after Edgars [...]