REPORT: MK Lightning 2-1 Basingstoke Bison

REPORT: MK Lightning 2-1 Basingstoke Bison - 3 February 2017 - English Premier League

Two goals in less than as many minutes set up Smith Recycling MK Lightning up for a 2-1 victory over Basingstoke Bison at MK Arena on Friday.

Hastily arranged opponents Bison – who stepped in to fill the void after the demise of Manchester Phoenix three days earlier – caused a late scare to end goalie Przemy Odrobny’s hopes of a fourth shut-out with a 57^th minute strike but that was all they could manage.

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Until Lewis Hook opened the scoring it was beginning to look as though both sides could have played until midnight with neither net being breached.

The first period ended 0-0 but that did not mean it was without incident and plenty of scoring chances.

Lightning welcomed new defenceman James Neil from Phoenix to their ranks - and it was just as well the club had made the signing as James Griffin was given his marching orders on a five plus game penalty for checking Tomas Karpov from behind after 7mins 47secs.

With fellow defenceman Sam Jones' season already ended by injury MK would have been desperately short on the blue line without Neil's presence. He slotted into the team as if he had always been there.

MK stopper Przemy Odrobny was the first of the netminders called into action when he easily dealt with a Ciaran Long shot in the third minute. 

Antti Hölli looked dangerous as he was allowed to carry the puck in a circle around the Bison net but neither Jordan Cownie nor Hook could connect with his pass.

When Declan Balmer was consigned to the Bison sin bin for two minutes on 4mins 59secs there was plenty of pressure from Lightning on the powerplay - and a good number of shots but Tomas Hiadlovsky's net remained intact.

Holli served up a blue line blast which the netminder blocked - the puck running loose for a second or two while Frankie Bakrlik's slapshot appeared to skim the top of the goalie's helmet. Michael Farn and Blaz Emersic both also had notable efforts.

Griffin’s dismissal gave Bison their best chance of forging at least a one goal lead but the best they could serve up was a blue line effort from Karpov and a couple of shots from Long – all of which failed to beat Odrobny.

In the opening seconds of the middle stanza Hiadlovsky blocked but didn’t hold a Leigh Jamieson blast – however Balmer quickly snuffed out the danger.

When Bakrlik was called for hooking on 21mins 37secs MK’s penalty kill units were again called into the action and the Great Wall of Milton Keynes – Odrobny – again stood in the way of Karpov and Rene Jarolin attempts.

There was a great opportunity for Lightning in the 26^th minute when Michael Farn sent Hook away up the right but Hölli couldn’t convert his pass.

Lightning failed to make any impression on the Bison net after the visitors were penalised for too many men in the 32^nd minute – indeed it was the Hampshire outfit that showed the most threat in a two on one break from Long and Karpov. Once more Odrobny earned his corn.

New boy Neil gained his point for Lightning on the move which saw Cownie feed Hook to fire past Hiadlovsky for the go ahead goal on 35mins 58secs.

Bison briefly threatened through Karpov before captain Adam Carr began the play in which Tom Carlon played the puck through to Milan Baranyk in the neutral zone. The Czech forward advanced up the left to unleash a high shot into the net on 37mins 53secs to give MK a two goal cushion going into the second break.

Lightning started the final session on a powerplay resulting from Karpov’s tripping penalty just before the interval. However Bison forced the play into the MK zone for much of the two minutes.

The hosts then hit penalty trouble with Carlon going for tripping Derek Roehl and again Odrobny produced fine saves from a pair of Karpov shots.

Przemyslaw Odrobny-

Back at even strength Bison must have been thinking their chances of a fightback were not going to be after Odrobny blocked a Roehl but didn’t hold it. The puck seemed to be going over the line but somehow the stopper retrieved it.

Hölli then set up Neil for a fierce shot which Hiadlovsky saved ahead of Bakrlik trying to catch the goalie out with a shot on the turn.

Lightning could make nothing of a powerplay resulting from Balmer’s cross check on Bakrlik behind the Bison goal line although Craig Scott had a go from the left hand side.

The visitors had just returned to full strength when Karpov made the supply for Long to finally beat Odrobny on 57mins 37secs.

In the end it proved too little too late for Bison who tried to withdraw Hiadlovsky for the extra skater with a minute to go but couldn’t do so until 28 seconds from the buzzer – Lightning taking the two points.

Man of the Match: Antti Holli

Report: Paul Brookman

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