Milton Keynes Lightning beat Basingstoke Bison 9-3 at Planet Ice Milton Keynes on 15 November, with Danny Weight completing a hat-trick in a NIHL National game that Lightning led 8-0 before the visitors replied. Four goals in each of the first two periods established the advantage, while Weight’s third came in the final minute. Lightning have won each of their last six competitive games.
With Jared Whale in goal for Milton Keynes Lightning and Ben Clarke-Leach and Ethan James sharing goaltending duties for Basingstoke Bison, Liam Stewart put Lightning ahead after 1:05, assisted by CJ Walker and Bradey Johnson. Walker’s assist came on his home debut. David Thomson doubled the lead at 03:37 from Weight and Kell Beattie, before Weight scored at 06:12 with Thomson and Beattie assisting. Weight had scored for the second successive competitive game, and MKL were 3-0 up little more than six minutes in.
Sean Norris made it 4-0 at 11:42, with Thomson and Weight providing the assists. The score stayed there until the first interval. Lightning had recorded 18 shots on goal to Basingstoke’s 13, and Thomson and Weight had each contributed to three of the four home goals.
The lead grew sharply after the restart. Jordan Cownie scored at 22:48 from Norris and Weight, then Thomson added his second just 11 seconds later, assisted by Weight and Milique Martelly. Bradey Johnson followed at 24:00, with Cownie and Jake Hayward setting up the goal that made it 7-0. Those three goals came in 1:12, taking Lightning from a four-goal first-interval lead to a seven-goal advantage early in the middle period.
Weight added his second at 28:07 from Norris and Martelly to make it 8-0. Basingstoke answered 32 seconds later through Alex Sampford, assisted by Kyle Carruth and Charles Farmer. It was the visitors’ first goal, and Mac Howlett cut the deficit again at 38:32, also with assists from Carruth and Farmer. Lightning led 8-2 at the second interval. Bison had found two replies after the home side’s four-goal start to the period, but the six-goal margin remained substantial.
Basingstoke made their power play count early in the third. Farmer had assisted both earlier Bison goals before scoring their third himself. It was the visitors’ final goal, with Lightning’s lead remaining at five through most of the last period.
Harry Gulliver and Basingstoke’s Charlie Risk received matching five-minute fighting majors at 53:35. Neither side added to the score until 59:32, when Weight struck from Thomson and Beattie to complete the 9-3 result. Beattie finished with three assists, Thomson with two goals and three assists, and Weight with a hat-trick and four assists. Weight’s third goal completed his first hat-trick of the season across competitive fixtures.
Source: Official NIHL National gamesheet.
Scoring summary
MK Lightning: Danny Weight 3+4, David Thomson 2+3, Sean Norris 1+2, Bradey Johnson 1+1, Jordan Cownie 1+1, Liam Stewart 1+0, Kell Beattie 0+3, Milique Martelly 0+2, Jake Hayward 0+1, CJ Walker 0+1.
Basingstoke Bison: Charles Farmer 1+2, Mac Howlett 1+0, Alex Sampford 1+0, Kyle Carruth 0+2, Brendan Sellan 0+1, Charlie Risk 0+1.
First Published by Milton Keynes Lightning mk-lightning.co.uk
Photo credits: Tony Sargent
