Milton Keynes Lightning 5-2 – Swindon Wildcats: David Thomson’s hat-trick helped Lightning take a four-goal lead before Swindon cut the gap to two in Saturday’s NIHL National game at Planet Ice Milton Keynes. Thomson’s third goal restored a three-goal cushion in the final period, giving Lightning a third successive competitive win.
With Jared Whale and Jordan Hedley sharing goaltending duties for Milton Keynes Lightning and Renny Marr in goal for Swindon Wildcats, Liam Stewart put Lightning ahead at 01:36, with Jordan Cownie providing the assist. It was the only goal for much of the opening period. The score was still 1-0 when Cameron Hamill and Swindon’s Sean Richards received matching five-minute fighting majors at 13:43. Those penalties did not give either side a power play, but a separate call against the Wildcats soon gave Lightning an extra skater.
Caden Villegas received two minutes for holding at 14:29, and Thomson scored on the power play 11 seconds later, assisted by Milique Martelly and Harry Gulliver. Lightning doubled their advantage in less than a minute: Thomson struck again at even strength at 15:25 to make it 3-0. His two goals came 45 seconds apart and took his goal-scoring run to a third successive competitive game. MKL held that lead at the first interval, having recorded 14 shots on goal to Swindon’s 12.
Lightning wore Remembrance jerseys for the fixture and welcomed cadets to Planet Ice Milton Keynes. Archie Hazeldine, Carter Hamill and coach Pete Russell were away on international duty.
The home lead grew again just 51 seconds into the middle period. Bradey Johnson scored from Cownie and Martelly at 20:51, making it 4-0. It was Johnson’s first goal in four competitive games, after three goalless games. Cownie and Martelly had each assisted twice as Lightning built their advantage, both having helped set up Thomson’s earlier power-play goal or Stewart’s opener.
Swindon then gave themselves a route back into the game. Matt Vermaeten scored at 25:56 from Ed Bradley and Villegas to reduce the deficit to 4-1. Four minutes and four seconds later, Richards scored from Villegas and Ryan Wells, bringing the Wildcats within two at 4-2. Villegas had assisted both visiting goals. Swindon had answered Lightning’s four-goal start with two goals of their own, though they had not drawn level. The score remained 4-2 at the second interval.
The teams’ previous meeting in Swindon had gone to a shootout after the Wildcats recovered from a two-goal deficit. This time, Lightning carried their two-goal lead into the third period. Thomson completed his hat-trick at 43:51, assisted by James Griffin, to make it 5-2 and restore the three-goal margin. His goals had helped establish the first-period lead and supplied MKL’s answer after Swindon’s second-period reply.
Neither side scored again. Lightning recorded 13 shots on goal to Swindon’s seven in the final period, bringing the match totals to 38-26. The Wildcats took a timeout at 59:17, but the score stayed 5-2. Thomson’s hat-trick had accounted for three of Lightning’s five goals, including the one that settled the scoring.
Source: Official NIHL National gamesheet.
Scoring summary
MK Lightning: David Thomson 3+0, Bradey Johnson 1+0, Liam Stewart 1+0, Milique Martelly 0+2, Jordan Cownie 0+2, Harry Gulliver 0+1, James Griffin 0+1.
Swindon Wildcats: Sean Richards 1+0, Matt Vermaeten 1+0, Caden Villegas 0+2, Ryan Wells 0+1, Ed Bradley 0+1.
First Published by Milton Keynes Lightning mk-lightning.co.uk
Photo credits: Tony Sargent
