Saturday’s Man of the Match honours went to David Thomson, who put on a standout performance in Lightning’s impressive 8–2 victory over the Leeds Knights.

Thomson found the net four times and added two assists, registering a fantastic six-point night.

On Sunday, it was Danny Weight who took home the Man of the Match accolade after another strong showing in Lightning’s 5–4 victory over Solway. Weight found the back of the net twice, helping Lightning secure another important win.

Two big performances, two hard-fought victories and plenty of quality right across the ice — a great effort from the whole team throughout the weekend.

Two wins this weekend against Leeds and Solway showcased our team's resilience and unity. On Saturday, we delivered a full team performance filled with aggression, confidence, and energy, beating a tough opponent on the road. Sunday presented a different challenge at home against with a stubborn well drilled Solway team, but we persevered and got the job done. The players showed great teamwork and commitment, proving once again that we stick together.

Bringing pace, physicality and a proven scoring touch, Harry Gulliver has established himself as one of the Lightning’s key offensive threats.

The Essex-born forward stands at 6'0" (183cm), weighs 190lbs (86kg) and shoots right. After developing through the Okanagan Hockey Academy in the UK, Gulliver spent several seasons in North America with the Ogden Mustangs before returning to British ice hockey, gaining experience in both the EIHL and NIHL.

Gulliver joined MK Lightning ahead of the 2023/24 season and has continued to play an important role within the team’s forward lines. Since arriving in Milton Keynes, he has consistently produced at an impressive rate, registering 132 points in 137 NIHL regular-season appearances for the club.

The 2025/26 campaign was another productive one, with Gulliver recording 28 goals and 18 assists in 48 league games, including nine powerplay goals. He also played a key role during the previous season’s playoff success, contributing seven goals and three assists in eight games.

Now heading into another season in Lightning colours, Gulliver will be looking to continue his impressive scoring form and help drive the team towards more success at the Thunderdome.

https://www.nihlnational.com/game/731-mkl-shs

Arriving in Sheffield with a sharp early-season return, Dante Salituro gives the Steeldogs a right-shot Canadian forward whose production immediately demands attention. His current NIHL line is the clearest warning for Lightning: (2026-2027 • NIHL • Sheffield Steeldogs: GP 6, G–A–P 8–5–13, PIM 4) The balance between goals and assists shows that Salituro is contributing as both finisher and supplier rather than leaning on a single route to the scoresheet. His recent record also spans Chamonix in Ligue Magnus and the French Cup, GKS Katowice in Poland and Hannover Indians in Germany’s third tier. That range of European assignments matters because it points to a forward accustomed to changing leagues and contexts without losing offensive relevance. Milton Keynes must therefore manage him before possession turns into a shooting chance or a final-pass opportunity. Denying him clean entries and immediate support around the puck should be central to the defensive plan.

Established in Sheffield, Jonathan Phillips remains a familiar but demanding problem for NIHL opponents. The Welsh right-shot forward has opened this campaign by combining scoring with a pronounced creative contribution: (2026-2027 • NIHL • Sheffield Steeldogs: GP 6, G–A–P 3–6–9, PIM 2) The weight of assists in that return points to his value as a connector who can move an attack towards its finish, while his goals ensure defenders cannot simply sit on passing lanes. Recent Steeldogs campaigns have reinforced that blend of finishing and distribution, including productive regular-season and play-off work. Phillips also brings experience from the Sheffield Steelers in the EIHL, alongside appearances in the EIHL Cup, Continental Cup and EIHL Series. His record further includes Passau Black Hawks in Germany. For Milton Keynes, the priority is to prevent him settling into the possession sequences from which his playmaking can shape Sheffield’s offence. Pressure on his first option must arrive promptly.

Operating from the Steeldogs blue line, C.J. Garcia offers Sheffield a left-shot Canadian defenceman with a conspicuous attacking return at the start of this NIHL campaign: (2026-2027 • NIHL • Sheffield Steeldogs: GP 6, G–A–P 1–7–8, PIM 6) Most of that output has come through assists, making his distribution the central feature for Milton Keynes to monitor. The current form follows a productive first regular season with the Steeldogs, as well as NIHL Cup duty, and gives his role clear continuity rather than looking like an isolated burst. Garcia arrived in Sheffield after successive EIHL campaigns with Manchester Storm. His wider route includes CSM Corona Brasov in the Erste Liga and Romania, Perth Thunder in the AIHL, Anglet in Ligue Magnus and university hockey with Carleton. That varied background has repeatedly placed him in leagues where he contributed from defence. Lightning need to close the space ahead of him, disrupt his outlets and avoid allowing Sheffield’s forwards to receive pucks with momentum.