Milton Keynes Lightning beat Peterborough Phantoms 5-4 in overtime at Planet Ice Milton Keynes on 12 September, with Kell Beattie scoring on a four-on-three power play 45 seconds into the additional period. The pre-season game had turned more than once: Peterborough led after the first period and again after the second, before Carter Hamill’s third-period equaliser gave Lightning the chance to win it.
With Jordan Hedley in goal for Milton Keynes Lightning and Matt Hennessey in goal for Peterborough Phantoms, Luke Ferrara put Peterborough ahead at 03:51, assisted by Janne Laakkonen and Dillon Lawrence. Bradey Johnson brought Lightning level at 12:15 from Liam Stewart’s assist, but the visitors regained the lead before the break. Dominik Gabaj scored at 16:47, with Adam Berg and Ewan Hill assisting, to make it 2-1 to Peterborough after 20 minutes. Lightning recorded 20 shots on goal in the opening period to the Phantoms’ three, but it was the visitors who took the one-goal advantage into the interval.
A late first-period penalty gave Lightning an opportunity to respond straight after the restart. Peterborough’s Billy Thorpe received two minutes for tripping at 18:51, and David Thomson equalised on the power play at 20:50. Archie Hazeldine and Danny Weight supplied the assists as MKL drew level for the second time. The home side then went in front for the first time when Stewart scored at 25:53, assisted by Johnson and Jordan Cownie.
That lead lasted less than a minute and a half. Berg equalised unassisted at 27:20, moving the score to 3-3, then scored again at 33:25 to put the Phantoms back in front. Ferrara and Laakkonen assisted his second goal. Berg’s two finishes reversed Lightning’s lead and gave Peterborough a 4-3 advantage at the second interval. Mack Stewart’s two-minute slashing penalty for MKL had ended at 33:00, before the goal that restored the visitors’ lead.
Peterborough held that advantage into the third period. Carter Hamill received two minutes for hooking at 41:41, but there was no change to the score during the penalty. At 46:24, Hamill scored at even strength from Jake Hayward’s assist to bring Lightning level at 4-4. It was another reply to a Peterborough lead, this time after the visitors had stayed ahead from midway through the second period.
Penalties punctuated the remaining regulation time without producing another goal. Thorpe was called for tripping at 48:16, Hamill for slashing at 51:08 and Peterborough’s Scott Robson for holding at 53:18, all for two minutes. Lightning’s Jarred White then received two minutes for high-sticking at 56:41. With the score still tied, the most consequential late call came at 59:18: Louie Kynaston was given two minutes for slashing, leaving Peterborough short-handed as the game moved into overtime.
Regulation finished 4-4. Lightning had recorded 12 shots on goal to Peterborough’s five in the third period, but neither side had found a winner in those 20 minutes. Kynaston’s penalty continued into overtime, where Beattie scored on the four-on-three power play at 60:45. Weight and Johnson were credited with the assists. It was Lightning’s second power-play goal of the game, following Thomson’s equaliser early in the second period.
Peterborough had led three times, with Berg’s two-goal middle period posing the biggest obstacle after Lightning first moved ahead. Hamill’s equaliser ensured that advantage did not decide the game; Beattie’s overtime goal settled the pre-season meeting at Milton Keynes Lightning 5-4 – Peterborough Phantoms (OT).
Source: Official gamesheet.
