Mike 0:17

Welcome to the latest edition of the Lightning Talks Podcast of Call, the podcast of the Lifestack Milton Kings Lightning, brought to you by Lightning TV. I'm Mike Rolls and I'm joined by Harrison Mills. Harrison, good to see you, mate.

Harrison 0:32

Good to see you too after a good weekend of hockey as well.

Mike 0:35

It's good to be back. It is, and uh preseason is done and dusted, and it's uh time to uh start the real thing. But uh two uh very, very good games over the weekend for the preseason and two victories for the Lifestack MK Lightning, which we'll delve into as well as previewing the curtain razor for the new season, uh, with a home game on Saturday against the Leeds Knights before a tricky trip away to the Telford Tigers and uh don't get tougher than that for the start of the season, do they?

Harrison 1:10

No, it certainly doesn't. I mean, I remember last season when I think it was Leeds or no, Telford opened with Leeds away and MK at home, and they came away with four points from that, and everyone was doubting what they were going to do. So it's not an easy weekend at all for uh for the Lightning, but they've had a good two weeks of preseason against two very different opponents, but two good opponents in their own right, and they've come away with three wins, and you can't really moan about that.

Mike 1:38

No, definitely not, and I know that there's no points on the line for preseason, but it's good to get into that winning mentality, lots of stuff to learn on, though, for for the coach and the players to do, so lots that they can build on and improve on, but good start and starting that winning mentality, and also Peter Barinks are tough rink to go to, so it's always good to you always feel like you've battled and covered to come away from a victory from there.

Harrison 2:03

Yeah, it certainly is a tough place to go. I mean, Lightning fans know that away games are not the easiest for for Lightning over the previous few seasons. So to get a victory away from home and to do it at both a tough rink to play and also your closest rivals, there's only a positive that you can take from that.

Mike 2:23

Yeah, and uh we'll start, of course, on Saturday's game, and we were both on the commentary duty again for that one. And uh very uh interesting game uh to save the least. I I think was uh two contrasting styles, and we saw that in the uh total shots at the end of the game. Was it 50 shots to 16? I think it was it at the end of it in favour of the lightning, and uh some good performances around got there in the end, and the game did having to go to overtime, but uh we'll talk through that in some detail now. But uh, was it what you were expecting the game to be when it first started?

Harrison 3:02

Um, I think when it first started, you could see that Lightning were gonna have the pressure early doors, and that was always going to be the case. I think Phantoms knew I knew when they were coming into Lightning's barn that it wasn't gonna be an easy game, and they were gonna have to suffer without the puck. And at the start of the game, they did that really well. They were defending as a unit, as a team, and I mean the first goal come from their first shot. Luke Ferrara in space in the slot and fires it near post. I mean, Headley wouldn't have had a chance, but that shows you the sort of away game and the road game that Phantoms were trying to do. Survive the early entourage, if you want to call it that, and then strike on the counter, and they did that incredibly well. And I think they they're it being pre-season, obviously, there being no points on the line, you can give a lot more credit for the fact that they took that game to overtime.

Mike 3:58

Yeah, and their finishing was was absolutely clinical, and uh Pete Russell alluded to it in his post-match interview as well with us as he said I think in that first period there were two lapses in concentration from the lightning in defensive area both both occasions. Peterborough came and got a goal. And you did kind of wonder as that game started going on and on, was it going to be one of those matches where you just thought, yeah, here we go, they're gonna walk away with a victory here. We've done everything but getting the puck over the net at times. And uh the uh the metal worker planet Ice Milton King's definitely got to work out on the goal frames. I wonder if uh Dave and Jimmy have had to uh put a fresh lick of paint on the goalposts already after only uh three games at home.

Harrison 4:47

Yeah, I think it was what Brady Johnson, Jared White, and then I think it might have been like Lawrence or something for the Phantoms, all ripping the pipe work. We didn't not too long between each other either, as well. And Jordan Headley was getting very tested in that first in that first game. And to concede on your first shot, I think we said it either on comms or in between one of the period breaks, but it just sent the confidence a little bit lower for for Headley, and it was just one of those games where a couple turnovers, and there were a couple times I think to put it bluntly, was left out to dry. But if you're gonna do it, pre-season is the time for it to happen. And I mean, over the weekend, if we look at the weekend as a whole, Lightning scored what a total of 13 goals, which again massive positive. But you've also got to look on look on the flip side of that, nine goals conceded. So there's pros and cons to take, but I think that first game for sure, it was it was one of those that a couple passes going astray and getting the business done in the third period, which I think is gonna be probably a common theme as we go throughout the season with this lightning roster.

Mike 6:03

Yeah, definitely. And you mentioned getting it done in the third period, and I know we said nine goals were conceded. Both third periods, though, in in both games, lightning blank the Phantoms. So obviously, deserved the words in that second period interval for Pete Russell recording there, and they tightened up defensively. I know in that second game in Peterborough, there was a couple of big saves from Headley in that final period. I think he stopped a two-on-one with uh Bitburg and goodbye in that third period as well. So good to see that Heads was uh giving himself a bit, making himself a bit of a more when he got man of the match in Peterborough for that that that second game. So uh obviously for Heads, he's lift dust himself off from uh conceiving on a few shots in that opening that opening night on Saturday and went to a tough place in Bretton. You know the fans are on top of you, they'll get behind you. He silenced them and uh kept them at bay, especially in that third period, where uh lightning faced a few more shots in that tiny ice pad. But uh we'll probably get back onto that third. We'll talk about more about the first game. So we mentioned that opening go-ahead goal from Ferrara, somewhat against the run of play. But Lightning came back into it. They didn't panic, they were quite assured, and eventually they got they got the equalizer, and it was uh Brady Johnson capitalising on a bit of a loose bounce in front of the net, but he was in the right place and doing what you want your imports to do, you get into that dirty area and firing home from close range.

Harrison 7:35

Yeah, and that seems to be a common theme as well throughout pre-season. It is getting the puck behind the net and having a man in front ready to poke it home. And I think it was Liam Stewart's been on the fate on the uh end of a couple of those, but Brady Johnson receiving a pass from Liam Stewart to equalise. Um, but then once again, against the run of play play, a two-on-one, and Dom Cabay does what Dom Gabai does best and puts the Phantoms back ahead.

Mike 8:07

You knew Dom was going to score in in that game, didn't you? You just knew he was gonna come back to Milton Keynes, and you knew he was gonna get a goal, just and it was a bit of a turnover in the attacking zone, and then led to a two-on-one. It was a lovely weighted pass from Adam Berg and Dom goodbye. Again, nothing Heads could have done on that one. Dom goodbye in that position, 99 times out of a hundred, that puck's going in the net.

Harrison 8:32

Yeah, I mean, we saw it plenty for Lightning last season, so everyone knew what he could offer. And I think I said it on comms as well. It would be interesting to see how the Phantoms used him. And he was on that second line, but he was heading that second line with um Berg and Hill, which is a very quality second line as well, and he's gonna get a lot of opportunities to get in positions like that, especially with the pace that Hill and Berg have. And yeah, I mean, he got on the score sheet as well a couple times on the Sunday, but it's not a surprise to see his name score, and especially against Lightning. It was like last season. Anytime Phantoms came, you knew Dylan Lawrence would get on the score sheet. I think Dom Gaby's gonna be the one that gets on the score sheet for the Phantoms against the Lightning this season.

Mike 9:23

Yeah, yeah, definitely. And that's how that first board ended at 2-1, despite Lightning putting some more pressure on. But Matt Hennessy, have to mention him from that game on Saturday. He had a superb performance. Had a bit of criticism from that opening weekend against Romford, but he showed the quality he possesses on that Saturday. And I think uh you said again, I'm not too sure if it was on the broadcast or if it was off air, but reminded you a little bit of Max Wright and just he could single-handedly win win you a game and keep you in a game when maybe, especially like Saturday showed some sometimes you may not be in that. But when you face 50 shots, you lose by a goal in overtime. That's a point. If it was in the league game, you'd be saying, Yeah, the Goldie got what's that point for that one?

Harrison 10:11

100%, and it does remind me of Max Wright for the bison and the bees of just you would be suffering a lot throughout that game, but he would be the reason that keeps you in those tight games, those games that you might concede 40 to 50 shots. Max Wright was that, and I think Hennessy's gonna have a have a few games where he's on the receiving end of 40 to 50 shots, especially with the way that the forwards are going in this league, and how some of the quality that the forwards possess. I mean, look at Romford last week against Phantoms, the forwards there, uh two of them produced 14 points between them. So the forwards in the league have got vastly better, and so the netminders are gonna have to also improve with that, and Hennessy shows what he can do.

Mike 10:59

You don't get 94% save percentage in the NCAA third tier for no reason, definitely, and uh he was breached though just in at towards the uh opening stage in that second period on the power play. There was a second left in that biddy Fork power play before David Thompson pinpoint accuracy into the top corner, absolutely brilliant finish from him, right at the death of Thorpe Fantasy killed the penalty. But just before Thorpe could step back onto the ice, bang, tomorrow 2-2. And then just a couple of minutes later, we were thinking, here we go, lightning are cooking now. As they then went 3-2 ahead.

Harrison 11:42

Yeah, and I think we said it as well. Once Lightning get one, they're always gonna probably get another. It seems to be the sort of the way that Lightning played, and it was a good pass from Johnson to to Liam Stewart, who made no mistake with the finish. And Lightning took the lead for the first time in the game, but they did then have they did then fall behind uh again two quick goals, and it was uh Adam Berg who I mean he benefited from a mistake from James Griffin, and Berg had to just finish it, which he did. And then a quick mention on the fourth goal, because Brad Bowering, with the patience that he had on the puck there, to take it past the D-Man and then fire it past Headley, you would not look at him and think he was a defenceman from the way that he scored that goal.

Mike 12:34

No, and I think the official originally credited the goal to Adam Berg, thinking that it was Berg that finished it and then was quickly quickly informed fairly. No, no, it was it was Brad Barring that that scored it, and uh the the correction was made fairly quickly, and he informed the timekeepers bench to uh to change that one, but uh superb patience from Barring and a great finish as well. He absolutely rifled it and picked his spot superbly. Good little bit of a scream from Dylan Lawrence in front of heads as well because he saw it very late. And you're just there thinking this Phantom team aren't gonna go away, and they kept it for free to the end of that period. And there was a few for a few fans around the ring fact interval going, we're gonna lose this, aren't we? They just had those things of some of the games that we had, especially last season, where doing everything but score, and there was a little bit of doubt creeping in there, and I think there was a bit of belief, especially in the Phantoms block as well. We've played well here, we've we've ridden the luck a bit, but the goal is making the saves for us, and we're being clinical every time we go forward and into them. They look dangerous every time they went forward, and there were some strong words in that period interval from Pete Russell, I imagine.

Harrison 13:49

Yeah, I can imagine there was. I mean, it seems to be that the third period is where the lightning come to life, though, and as you said, shut out the phantoms in both dens, and Hamill got the equaliser with some quite uh, as you put it, soft mips uh out in front of uh Hennessy. But yeah, it was it was one of those games that I think last season Lightning would have struggled and probably would have lost that game. The quality's definitely improved, and I think that the patience that Lightning had on the puck throughout the entirety of the game, there was never a moment of rushing. It was always about it's fine, we've got the quality, we're going to get a goal back. And there was never a point where it seemed like the play was going all over the place. Everything was done as Pete wanted it to be.

Mike 14:39

Towards the end, there was a few penalties that went on, and I think with about three minutes to go. I think it was Jared White got called for a high stick, and uh Pete actually said to me, He goes, He goes, I he goes, I know I should have faith in my team, but I thought three minutes to go, we can see the penalty. You just thought they're gonna steal and get a power play goal here. And there was that little bit of a sense in the crowd. There's a few murmurs I thought in the crowd as well. They were like, Oh, here we go. But lightning penalty kill that night, they were 100%, they blanked the Phantoms power play. And you consider some of the attacking threat on those power play lines, killed that penalty, then got a penalty of then went on the power play of the loan towards the end of the period, end of the period, and ended the game on the advantage, and that's how overtime started. But had to mention that penalty kill because they did a sterling job, and I think save for one or save for one or two shots that Phantoms had, and I think there was that bullet from Dylan Lawrence that cannons off the crossbar when they uh did a little switcheroo in the face-off dot, and they threw Dom Goodbye into the face-off circle and put Dylan on the blue line. There wasn't that much, and Lightning looked fairly good on that penalty kill on the Saturday night.

Harrison 15:54

They really did, and I mean, yeah, if you're gonna keep players like Adam Berg, Luke Ferrara, Dylan Lawrence, Dom Gabby, Jana Larken, and all five of those quiet, then you're doing a good job. And that's not to mention the fact that they've got players like Brad Bowering who can fire one in as well, Ewan Hill, who they've brought in, Barnabasari, who was on form last weekend. So it's not like they've not got that strength and that quality to to score. They have, and the lightning seemed to play very well in they knew what their job was. There was no it was it was just a very they they muted the Phantoms, they did a an incredible job at making sure that the Phantoms didn't look at all really like they were gonna score, other than from a quick first-time slap shot from Dylan Lawrence on the blue line. There weren't any golden opportunities as such, as you'd call them.

Mike 16:46

Yeah, and then into overtime, 4-1-3 power play for the Lightning, and they made that extra space in the man advantage count, and what a goal to win it from Kel Beattie, and uh big celebration to match the uh the occasion as well. Even if it was pre-season, he uh enjoyed celebrating that one in front of the Thunderdome.

Harrison 17:09

Yeah, I mean he's had a a big couple weekends for the Lightning as well. Um made a name for himself already, really, with the Lightning Faithful getting in that fight early doors in the first Rostock game. And then this weekend he scored the final goal in both games against the Phantoms, and for it to be an OT, there's never a better way to win a game than in overtime. It's always the the the most thrilling. Um not the not the kindest on the heart, but it might have been pre-season, but that doesn't mean it's still not a nervous time. Um but yeah, uh an absolute ripper from Kel Beatty. And I mean the goals he scored for Solway last season proved that he is capable of that, and yeah, Lightning took the victory.

Mike 17:55

Yeah, big crowd went home happy over 2000 for pre-season, which is really, really good going there. And those who had first time at the game were probably gonna be wanting to come back, and hopefully they were getting their tickets ahead of the Leeds game because uh they're going fast.

Harrison 18:15

They certainly are.

Mike 18:17

Alright, well, that's wraps up the Saturday's game. So I think we can roll into Sunday.

Harrison 18:23

Yes, so the Sunday game away at the Phantoms. That was same roster for both sides. No changes in terms of the line-ups, no changes in terms of the lines either. So very much just no one got injured from that Saturday game, which is always a positive for preseason from both sides' point of view. Um, still Jordan Headley starting in net for the Lightning, and still Matt Hennessy in net for the Phantoms. And it was another goal fest, as it seems to always be when Lightning play in Breton.

Mike 19:28

Yeah, yeah, there was uh a lot of goals to keep up with, and uh scoreline changed quite a bit, and there was a well it went one way, then it went, then it went in favour of the lightning, then it swung back in favour of the Phantoms again, and then finally that third period, Lightning sort of gained a measure of control, but plenty of talking points in that game as well.

Harrison 19:49

Oh, yes, yes. I mean, the start of it, I mean, the first two goals came from two ex-Lightning players, as you'd expect. Dom Gaby basically make taking advantage of a misplaced pass from Archery Salisbury and Dylan Lawrence being where Dylan Lawrence always was, and that's in front of the net, making it 2-0. And at that point, I think anyone that is a Lightning fan probably looked at that and gone, oh, away game. But yeah, 2-1 responded very well. Um, David Thompson scoring his uh third goal uh for the lightning, and if I'm being honest, in the exact same spot as the other two.

Mike 20:31

Yeah, I did notice it. He picks his spot, brilliantly. It was a great team goal, though, just lots of slick passing into the zone, and Phantoms just collapsed back, and you just can't give a space like that to Thomas, and he knew exactly where he was putting it, and yeah, over the glove sides into the net, and it just lifted the lightning as well and just silenced that intimidating home crowd a little bit as well. And then, yeah, Lightning then pulled it back to two-all by the end of the period.

Harrison 21:02

Yeah, it was uh a Danny Waite getting on the score sheet for the first time this weekend, um, got himself a backhanded equaliser to end the period at two-all, which I think lightning would have been happy going into that first break, being at two all away from home, as you said, an intimidating atmosphere. And that is the one thing that you can consistently see is that Lightning went 2-0 down, but they didn't change anything. They still played the same way and they still tried, knowing that they would find their way through, and they got one back and they got the equaliser going into well, I think what's easy enough to say is the eventful second period.

Mike 21:41

Yeah, so Lightning got two very quick goals in uh well, two goals in quick succession in that uh second period, and then well, we'll talk about the goals, and then we'll talk about uh a point that could have changed the game, and possibly did for a little bit because uh at 4-2 you're thinking, oh no, lightning are here, they're starting to cook it. The first time Red led by two a two-goal advantage, it was to see what what they could do with it, and uh both were very good goals as well from the Lightning.

Harrison 22:10

I thought, yeah, and it was 12 seconds apart between them as well. The the the third one coming from Tom's Rutkiss um in front of the net, and then the fourth one, 12 seconds later. It's good play from that Hamill, Waite, and Thompson line. Thompson's just poked the puck out for Danny Waite, who's gone into the zone and just sent it through the five-hole. And at that point, Phantoms have done a very good thing, in my opinion. They've taken a timeout, they've just had that time to just sort of like settle back and go, right, let's reset here. We're two goals down, we're at home, we've got the advantage, let's just calm it down. And it worked an absolute treat, and it brought them back into the game. And then, I mean, yeah, we'll we'll I suppose we'll we'll address it now. The five plus game for fighting and leaving the bench penalty for Harry Gulliver. Um, it was a turning point at that point in the game.

Mike 23:11

Yeah, definitely. The five-minute penalty resulted in a couple of goals for the Phantoms. But I I think from what I for what I saw and what I understood, I think Gulliver was making the line change, but he had left the ice and so then returned back onto the ice when the flash point hit, and like the officials, you can't do that. And in one way, it's good he was standing up for a teammate because I think it was Toms that was getting the pushing shoving. Toms isn't exactly uh a known fighter. I think he dropped the gloves once last season and uh pretty much instantly regretted doing it. It's a bit he's not there for his fighting skills. Harry, obviously, we know he's handy with the gloves, stood up for his teammates, but detriment of a five plus game. I guess we just wait to see whether there is uh anything in uh further that comes through from DOPS or if it and if he's eligible to ice uh for the visit of leads. You'd like to have Harry icing against the Knights because uh he likes to get goals against the Leeds Knights and he consistently gets points against his former team as Romford can assess to because he loves scoring at Romford, he also loves scoring against the Knights, and you just need that energy on that line with him, Cammie, and Tom's uh the uh the fourth line, which in Pete Russell's words isn't a fourth line. It's there's no such thing as a second or third and fourth line, but yeah, um he he brings a lot of energy and he brings something different on there. So we'll see if he just if he just sit settles with that five plus game or if there's any further action, but we'll we'll wait and see what what comes from that.

Harrison 24:51

Yeah, but as you said, standing up for your teammate, you're not gonna say no to that. I think it was Ewan Hill that um sort of had a little bit of push and shoving with Tom's Rutgers, and that's what seemed to start it all. It wasn't really just Harry Gulliver that was involved, there was a lot of players involved in the end. There's a lightning call. Carl Hamm got himself a penalty as well. Um, but yeah, it was one of those that I think lightning phantoms, you would also be surprised if something didn't kick off at some point.

Mike 25:22

Oh, for sure, and obviously with these back-to-back games, anything that carries over from the something that happens the night before, it likely carries over until the next evening, and it's it's it's done, it's it's it's straightened out straight away. It's not fested and built up for a couple of weeks, so in a way, it's quite good. And it seemed after that flashpoint as well, it calmed down a bit then because both teams seem to just want to play hockey. There was a couple of miners called, but officials you'd think after something like that in a second they have to start to call more, but but it didn't, maybe just that five plus gauge just said to players, Look, you're gonna mess around, you're getting you're getting thrown out, you're not you're not staying on the ice. So uh, but then Phantoms took advantage of that extended power play, didn't they?

Harrison 26:07

Yeah, they got two power play goals on that. Uh Dom Gabaye and Luke Ferrara, and then just towards the end of the period after that penalty had expired, and Lightning did very well on the back end of that penalty just to to keep it from being more than two goals, because again, when you've got that many players that can score for the Phantoms, you've got to make sure you stick tight defensively. Uh, Dylan Lawrence got the Phantoms back ahead for the first time since early on in the first, and it went into that second period break again, just like the day before, where the Lightning were trailing by one, and they managed to get themselves out of it once again. A third period, as you said, where Lightning didn't concede, but again, it was just a very mature performance in that third period.

Mike 26:57

Definitely, and lots of character because you score late on in the in the set in the second period, and what was four all suddenly you're trading five for heads could drop as well, but the lightning didn't do that. They came out, they were all guns blazing, and then yeah, scored four unanswered in that final period to uh leave Bretton with uh a victory.

Harrison 27:20

Yeah, and the one thing that I think stands out the most is that each line contributed to at minimum a goal during that entire game. So Max Stewart combining with uh Jared White and Sean Norris to equalise for the Lightning to start with, then Jared White fires a lovely first time shot from Max Stewart to retake the lead, then a very surprising goal scorer and a surprising person to find in front of the net in the first place. Ed Nags gets himself on the score sheet as well after a wraparound attempt from Brady Johnson. But one thing that I think when it comes to Ed Nags and the Phantoms commentators mentioned it as well, is that he's a player that you'd love to have on your team because you never have to mention his name, and that's in a really good sense because he's never doing anything wrong, he's not putting uh his team at risk, he is just Mr. Safe, Mr. Reliable at the back, and with the amount of experience he's got, I mean he was on for a best points season last season for the Lightning before he got his injury, and he showed that to um in the last weekend as well. He got one plus one on the Sunday, um, assisting for Danny Waite second, um, and then yeah, getting that goal out in front, and then it led to Phantoms having to pull the netty.

Mike 28:47

Yep, and uh it was that man again. I think uh Phantoms fans must be sick of the sight of uh the Lightning's new number 12, Kel Beattie finding the net again and uh wrapping up the scoring firing into the empty net. That just to talk about Nagyvo, yeah, he's that play. You he's almost so underrated because he just gets on with his job quietly and he never puts that foot wrong. And it's almost I I think really we probably do an injustice because every time he scores now, we always seem to act with surprise, be surprised. But he's he's scored some big goals uh in recent times for Lightning. And yeah, I I think uh he's definitely enjoying that offensive side of the game, and he did mention it on the previous pod episode, isn't it? Where he's uh wanted to make sure he's got a little bit of uh that friendly competition with Ollie over who's gonna uh get the more points as well this season. So uh, and Ollie's Ollie's playing as a forward, I think he said as well. So uh it's a bit of an unfair advantage already. So uh but uh the battle is very much on. It is on, it's it is it is on. But if uh if if Daggy's gonna be storming the goal crease like he did against Peterborough uh on Sunday night, then he might be getting a few more goals there.

Harrison 30:00

Ollie's gonna have to make sure he's in that same spot, otherwise his his uh big brother's gonna overtake him.

Mike 30:06

Watch him now, we'll do that opening game of the season now. Wally will probably be there and just firing it in from point blank range.

Harrison 30:13

I'll keep an eye out. I've got to keep an eye out for it.

Mike 30:16

We will do. It was like the old uh John and Paul Terry Derby back in the day where they were both having their goal scoring competitions on soccer AM. I think we might have to do the same thing for Roddy and Ed.

Harrison 30:28

Now that I would play to watch.

Mike 30:31

That'd be brilliant. So uh a good way to wrap up pre-season, though. I mean, it was the first away game because Lightning had two home games the previous weekend. A lot of teams had a home and away series. Lightning had three three games at home in a row, and then they finally had that road game. And it puts them in in in good stead going ahead of the opening weekend because Peter was that smaller ice pad, a bit similar to Telford. It's an intimidating atmosphere. It's uh it's one of those rings that it's a very small neutral zone, so there's not much time or space on the puck compared to playing at Planet Ice MK or like one of the bigger pads, say like in Ice Sheffield, where you can have a bit more time and there's a little bit more space where you can actually maybe think about what you're doing there. You need to always be thinking about your next your next move before you've even received the puck because there's going to be player straight on top of you.

Harrison 31:24

Yeah, and that's what Pete Russell's going to really instill into this Lightning side is that quick play. I think that Lightning have always struggled on those smaller ice pads. Um, the ones that stand out really being um the the hanger and slough as well. That was always a tough place for Lightning to go as well. So it is just that making sure that you can be quick on the puck, quick through the neutral zone, and it's also those rings where the the boards, the benches are a little bit further into the zone as well. It's that second period where your teams you're having to fight that little bit harder to get back to the bench if you're on a PK, for example. And Telford's is one of those where your penalty boxes are uh right in the middle of the benches, so there's a little bit of a gap between um the bench and the zone, so it it'll be an important one, but as you said, it's a tough weekend for the Lightning to open up against the playoff champions to start with at home, who are gonna be looking to try and right some of their wrongs from pre-season as well.

Mike 32:34

Yeah, yeah, we'll touch on that. So just before we do that, I just don't I'm gonna throw a little curveball your way, Harrison, just because I'm kind like that. Who's been a player that stood out for you in preseason? Who have you actually made you realise and go, wow? I mean, it's a tough one because there's been some good individual performances, but if you were just to pick one, who would you just say so far you thought I like the look of him, he's looked to have settled quite well, he looks to have got settled into the team very well.

Harrison 33:04

I think one that maybe surprised me a little bit, but not surprised in like a bad way, more just that I wasn't sure what to expect from him, and that's Jared White. I think he really his link up play seems to be unbelievable, and he's got a really good quick pop shot where he can just get the puck under control and somehow fire it at pace. And we saw it against Rostock, we see it against Peterborough. The netminders aren't ready for the speed at which he can get the puck under control and release a shot like that. Um, so in terms of offensively, I mean you knew what you were going to get from David Thompson, and he is just showing exactly what you expect from from David Thompson. I mean, shout out to his little um shaky legs and chicken dance against Rostock. That was a great welcome for him. But offensively, I would go Jared White, and then defensively, I think as the I think the one that stands out for me is Jake Haywood. I think everyone thought that he was potentially coming in as that 7th D man and not sure what he was going to bring after a few years oversea, but he's slotted in, and if honest, if I'm honest, it looks like he's been here forever.

Mike 34:16

Good shout on both of them. Yeah, they're really good ones. Uh I'd almost forgot about Jake because obviously you've said you've had Kel have a couple of his headline moments already, and he slotted in on the power play, as has Archie Hazeldein as well. He's looked really, really at home on that blue line. But yeah, Jake has been throwing the body around, he's been getting into some good positions, and he's put up a very good pairing with Archie Salisbury. So, yeah, that's that's a very good chat with him. And yeah, you you you took uh my answer as well with Jared. He looks really, really good. And I I'm gonna mention the work ethic of Brady Johnson as well. Just every time he's on the ice, covers every bit of the ice, and yeah, I think once those bounces start getting that way, he's got a few assists, he's got a goal. I think yeah, the points will start flowing for him very, very soon. And I've he looks to have settled into the team very well, and he uh he seems to be enjoying life in the UK as well. Uh judging by uh his uh social media feeds already. He's uh he looks to be having a good time out with some of the boys in London today, so uh doing the touristy thing and getting a bit of the sense of the culture here in England. So uh very much exciting to the exciting times ahead, and I think uh the lightning team definitely given a lot of excitement already for the fans, and there seems to be uh a lot of positivity and a lot of hope and expectation going into the start of this season, and it's uh very apparent. Also, as well, need to mention uh team at Planet Ice with the new lights as well. It looked really good, and we could we could see everything for the gantry as well. So it was great to see. So uh shout out to to Jimmy, Dave, and all the team at Planet Ice MK. And I know that they've said there's some more some more coming, so I think those uh dark spots in the corners will also be uh illuminated as well. So uh great for us, great for Tony the photographer, and uh good for the enjoyment of everyone watching at the rink and also on the stream.

Harrison 36:17

100%. Yeah, the lighting was uh was very much needed. Um I did I did have a friend say that they got a headache from the new lights, so you can't you can't win with some people, but yeah, no, it is it it was very much needed. I think it was one of those that you turned up, you what you just watched that game against Peterborough, and then you go, wait, what was it like before? Was it was it really that bad? And so, yeah, full credit to Planet Ice for that because it just made everything. I think, yeah, Tony's have to had to adapt his settings on his camera. Um, we've had to adapt the settings of our cameras as well, but it it's a positive for everyone that is associated with not just MK Lightning, uh, but also Planet Ice Milton Keynes.

Mike 37:04

Great. So thanks to the team there for that. And uh moving forward then, start the league season. It's an exciting time, it's a massive game to open the season. It's so big and it's so important that I'm disappearing off to Cyprus for the week that weekend. So uh poor timing on the room.

Harrison 37:25

You'd run up scared, some would say.

Mike 37:28

Yeah. Shirkinoff. I was here for pre-season. If everything starts properly, I run away.

Harrison 37:35

You do the easy games and then you're off.

Mike 37:39

There's no there's no there's no easy games in this gig. I can imagine that you um you had the holiday booked, you saw the fix just came through, um, saw that the first game was against Leeds and that you weren't gonna make it, and you were like, uh Yeah, yeah, apparently uh apparently no holiday insurance uh is valid for, but it's MK Lightning versus Leeds Knights for opening game of the season. It should be there, should be a clause in there. I'm gonna speak to that in I I think so, but yeah, I I could get a free cancellation because it was the uh it was the league opener against Leeds Knights. So uh yeah. Cypress won out over it, but yeah, yeah. A week away did did did just overcome it. Uh but it what a game, what a way to open the season. And I mean those games are always blockbusters, and this promises to be no different.

Harrison 38:31

Oh yeah, I mean it's the it's one of those games that I think most um teams and fans in the league will look at that, look at on the calendar and go, this is gonna be a tasty one. And I mean, even you look at the playoffs last year, uh, Lightning faced uh the Knights in what was a must-win game, and it ended with a narrow defeat at home, um, 6-5 if I remember rightly. And but that was an absolutely epic affair, that was, and yeah, but the knights are a slightly different side. They've not they're in terms of roster-wise, they've not had too many changes in terms of personnel, but preseason's been an interesting one for them. Um, and we'll I'll touch on that slightly now. Um, they opened their pre-season the same weekend that we did against Rostock. Um, on the Friday night, they lost at home to the old friends in Tilburg Trappers, um, 3-1. It was Liam Payton getting their only goal in that one, and then they travelled to Hull and got a 4-3 away win. And that was sort of probably the one that stood out to me because you look at Hull, and Hull are easily one of the teams to watch out for this season as well, and Leeds have gone there and they've managed to get a win at a very tough place.

Mike 39:54

Oh, definitely. Hull Arena, you take two points from Hull in Hull, you've done well, so that's a a good win. And 3-1 against the Trappers, that's nothing that that's nothing to be sniffed at. They are a full time full-time team, a lot of Dutch internationals on there, plus as well Kobe Roth on that team as well, and he is absolutely dynamite as a player. So 3-1 against the against the Trappers, and they're they're a team consistently at the top of Oberliga North. And I was speaking to one of the the uh media team from Rostock, and they actually say that Tilburg, due to like a deal, they can't actually go higher than Oberliga North because of something to do with the uh the German ice hockey federation, but also as well, they suit they play really well in the regular season when it gets to the playoffs, and because they've got so many Dutch internationals, the playoffs in German Oberliga clash when the Netherlands are playing in the IIH World Championships, so half of their team is got is gutted, is decimated, so they have to call up some of their youngsters along with the imports, and then yeah, they that's why you often see them. I was scratching my head of how is this team consistently so good? And then they lose it, always seem to always lose in the semi-final in their playoffs. It's like, yeah, because half the players are with the Dutch national side playing in like uh div1B.

Harrison 41:21

Yeah, yeah, that's not ideal at all, really, for them. But I mean that just tells you the sort of quality that Tilburg have. And I mean they beat Lightning 9-1 last year, so in terms of taking a 3-1 loss, I don't think that it's not too negative, really. And that's a good showing for these, I'd say. Yeah, I mean, getting Liam Payton scoring early doors and assist for Zach Sullivan, the new signing as well, go through their roster changes shortly. Um, but it's a good start for Liam Payton to get his tally going and for for Zack Sullivan to get himself on the assist column as well. Um, and then on the on the Sunday in Hull, um youngster Darrow Sporforth getting on the score sheet, as well as a double from Finn Braden with two assists or three assists from Kieran Brown, two assists from Bissonet, and an assist from McLean. Brown, Bissonet, and Braden seems like it's going to be the danger line again.

Mike 42:25

The three Bs, I think so. And I know we will touch on the roster changes in a second, but I want to say big credit for Ryan Aldridge for keeping the faith with the players that were called upon and did a great job for Leeds last season. It could have been very easy in the summer to go, well, yeah, thanks guys, you did a great job. However, we're going to bring in the more experienced guys, we're going to sign these guys in. But they decided, no, you you've earned your stripes, you've you've stood up last season, you made yourself counted. You could have shied away, you didn't, you stepped up, you played big, you got us to uh was it second or third place in the league, even though uh we were written off quite a way early on. You got to a cup final, you won the playoffs in Coventry, despite the short bench, and despite not much experience. You've heard this right. You're you're playing, you're playing in the Knights from next season. We're not gonna bring someone else in you can do the job already. And I think that's credit to them and credit to Ryan Aldridge for showing the faith in them originally, and in keeping that faith with them, it could have been very easy to get the checkbook out and sign some other guys, and obviously they've put a couple of strengthens as you as we're going to touch on, but that core has kept the same, and it's very much an identity for Leeds and West Yorkshire, and I think it's something that the locals will really get behind, and they'll be seeing guys who are one of like one of their own on the ice constantly.

Harrison 43:55

Yeah, and it can only be a positive, not just for the Knights, but also for just British hockey. You get in those youngsters with ice time, uh, not just the Knights, but the Knights 2 as well, who have are on the up as well in the NIHL 1 North. So big positive when it comes to their youth setup. Uh, this weekend just gone. The Knights had a double header against the Sheffield Steel Dogs um running out to a defeat in both games. A 7 5 defeat at home, where they were trailing 7 1 at one point. So uh good four goals in that final period just to get themselves to make that scoreline. Look a little bit better, and then on the Sunday, a 2-1 defeat in Sheffield. Very good weekend for Sheffield. Um, now it's a good opportunity for them to face what's going to be very top opposition in the league and work out some of their kinks and sort out sort out what they can sort of achieve this season because facing against both the Seahawks and the Steel Dogs in pre-season, it's quite good for them to get against that sort of opposition early doors, find out what they're up against, and they can sort it out going into the game against MK, which is another top team this weekend.

Mike 45:08

Yeah, definitely, and obviously, as well, games involving Sheffield and Hull against these always have that little extra spice. Yorkshire derbies, it's always for local bragging rights as well. It's not that not that far up the road, so they're always well attended for home and away fans. Two very contrasting games in terms of score lines, though. 12 goals in that Saturday game, and then just the three in the other one. I don't know if uh the defences decided to uh just go on top of if it was just two completely contrasting games, or was it just on that second night that Shane Owen and Sam Gospel just played blinders? It would be quite interesting to to see what had gone on there, and obviously two quality netminders. So I think I'm less surprised at the 2-1 game, but I'm more surprised at the uh 7-5 score line, to be honest, considering the uh the talent on display on both teams.

Harrison 46:00

It shows that both netminders can be beaten, though. And I think Shane Owen was one that everyone really looked at going into the season as being an unbelievable keeper for the Steel Dogs to acquire. So the fact that he's been beaten six times that um can only show a positive for other teams in the league. But yeah, we'll touch on their changes uh as well. In terms of netminders, Ollie Booth and Dan Norton have left. Ollie Booth going to Witness Wild in an IHO1 north, and Dan Norton has made the move to Glasgow Clan um to be a third choice for them. Good experience for him to get a chance to train with some um elite league netminders and a good side in Glasgow, and they have brought back in Harrison Walker from Blackburn Hawks, very popular netminder for the Knights, and again it backs up that same rhetoric that that Sam Gospel Harrison Walker one and two is arguably one of the strongest one and two in the league.

Mike 47:02

Definitely, and I think uh Harrison Walker, having played last season at Blackburn, and that was a good Blackburn team, won some silverware there, he got a lot more ice time. I think he's gonna come back a stronger netminder. And he already was a capable deputy to Sam Gospel. But I I generally think if if Sam needs to rest for a couple of games, they've got a more of an adequate player who can step between the pipes and backstop the knights to victories there. And uh I yeah, he's he's very popular with the fans there. And I I'd quite like hopefully I'll get we'll get we'll get some more rice time, we get to see a bit more of Harrison Walker in that because he's very capable goalie. Um I'm quite glad he took that year away to get some extra rice time, but he's wanted to come back and try and prove himself at the national level, and hopefully, yeah, hopefully he'll get a bit more of uh game time as well. And two, as you say, two very good goalies in that tans and there.

Harrison 48:00

And you can almost see as it as being it could even be like a passing of the bat on as well, with Sam Gospel getting um a little bit older and Harrison Walker still being quite young, working under Sam Gospel for a couple seasons before making that move to Blackburn. Coming back, it does just strike us. Could this be a sort of turning point where Leeds have found their next keeper and they just want to give him all the experience that they can? Um, but yeah, an unbelievable return for Harrison Walker. And as you said, hopefully he gets a little bit more ice time with the Knights this season because he is certainly good enough to be able to give Sam Gospel a rest if he needs to. For sure. And looking at the few players that they've gained, or a couple players they've lost as well in defence and attack, uh, Lewis Baldwin has gone to D Side Dragons. Uh Artus Mikovics has returned to Latvia, and Tom Palmer is at the Hull Jets now after making the mid-season move from Romford last year. Now, players they've gained, we mentioned one of them earlier, Zack Sullivan from Manchester Storm, just gives that little bit of experience in defence to add to what was already a good defence.

Mike 49:18

Yeah, that that's a that's a great sign in getting Sully in. Really respected, really, really good British defenceman, GB International just talked so much, an absolute role model of the ice as well, Sully. Uh instrumental in bringing to the fourth on uh LGBTQ plus in in in hockey. Uh and I think he'll be he'll work wonders in Leeds now. A very popular player and slightly gutted. He didn't want to go a little further to say South Down the end want the Milton Keynes because uh I think he's he's a player a bit like Ben O'Connor, just strengthens any team in this division by being on that blue line and uh great acquisition for Leeds. But I think he's I think he's got I think he's got a job in Manchester, so it was a no-brainer to play national level, probably go he was probably either going to pick Leeds or Sheffield, and he went with he went with Leeds.

Harrison 50:16

Yeah, and as you said, um the experience he brings is only gonna benefit the Knights as well. Um Cullen McLean being the import that they've brought in to their existing four to make that five. Um he signs from Nuy Saman, who, if you do have any memories of last season, played preseason against Romford and Peterborough. However, Cullen hadn't yet signed for them at that point, so he didn't make an appearance for um the French side against Romford or Peterborough, but seems to be coming in with a lot of points on the board in France too, and he started preseason relatively well, and he could be the one that alongside Kieran Brown and maybe Owen Sobtchak puts up the numbers on the points.

Mike 51:06

Yeah, definitely, and he's one to look out for.

Harrison 51:30

Yeah, and a quick mention as well to a cut a few of the two-ways that uh on with the Knights 2. Evan Braden, Joshua Hartley, and Frankie O'Sullivan all rejoin the Knights on a two-way with the Knights 2, those three playing a massive part in the back end of the season um to ensure that the Knights were able to finish the season with some players on the lower end of the lines due to their injuries. But that's the Knights. There is also another game at the weekend, the Lightning obviously travelling uh up to Shropshire to face the Telford Tigers. Few changes for them as well, um, and one notable one from MK standpoint in terms of an outgoing one, as well as one notable incoming, which we all know now. Um, but in terms of sign-ins for them, um their imports they've almost had that they've had quite a change when it comes to imports, with Eric Henderson and Caleb McPhee being the two that have remained um as a Tiger. And then they've brought in Max Dukovac, Jeremy Michaud, and Ronnie Parajallo, and they seem to have been putting up the points in preseason against both the Wildcats, where they where the Tigers won one away and lost one at home, and then two big victories against the Pitbulls at the weekend just gone, and those three seem to be putting up the points quite early on. And Telford seem to always have a way with imports, their imports always seem to know where the back of the net is.

Mike 53:09

Yeah, Tommy Watkins, he's always seems to get a good eye for signing imports. I mean, just think back over the years when the Tigers lost Jason Silverthorn, they brought in Vladimir Luca and Rory Herman. When they lost those two, they brought in Eric Henderson and David Thompson, and straight away Tom has now gone to Milton Keys, then found Pal Gadio, and already straight away he's already lighting a lamp. And I think Tommy just has such a good network of contacts, he knows a lot of people, he really makes that Tigers team really punch above punch above their weight, and I don't mean that disparagingly. But they still consistently turn up, they beat the top teams, and they always seem to be there or thereabouts when it comes to Coventry weekend, even if they haven't don't quite make it, they've made it to like the game the game before, before they're knocked out. So they always are a good side and very good co very well coached there. And I I think they'll be a they'll be a tough team again to beat this season. And I think Tommy did very well to keep one player particularly. Well, Caden McPhee's a good one to retain, but also as well, Rhodes Mitchell King staying as well with with the Tigers is such a key returnee for them.

Harrison 54:39

I was just gonna mention Rhodes Mitchell King as my key returnee for them because he has all the ability to make that step up. He is on a two-way with the Coventry Blaze as well. Uh I mean he was on a two-way last year with the Belfast Giants, but didn't get too much of a look in um under Adam Keith's side. So it would be good to see if uh he makes an appearance at the Skydome for the Blaze and how often that happens because he's got all the ability to his um his brother has become a stalwart now up in Glasgow as uh as an imp as uh forward for them. So it'll be interesting to see what his role is in this um this side and see whether he can make that step up because he's got the quality to. Um, and a couple other ones. Uh Brad Day is now not being supported by Ben Norton, who has returned to the Bristol Pitbulls, but by Daniel McGowan. Um and so he seems to have had a relatively decent start in preseason as well. The Tigers fans quite like the look of him uh in net as well, and it does also seem uh when doing the research, he played with Ben Brown um at the Dundee Rockets, I think it was at the time, um uh before they um disappeared. So good little backup net mind of him. He's still young as well, so he's gonna get an opportunity to learn under Brad Day. But the one that we want to mention, Callum Field um making the move to Telford, this could be an absolutely massive move for him in his development and to work under Tom Watkins, he's already got a power play goal last weekend against the Pitbulls, and we saw uh towards the end of the season last year with the Lightning. There is quality there, and if Tom Watkins can do what Tom Watkins does and unlock it, then he's gonna get a great player out of Callum Field.

Mike 56:43

For sure, and there's some good players that he can learn off as well. Some Britstead, so you've got the likes of Scotty McKenzie there, you've got Harry Ferguson who had played uh alongside Callum at Lightning a few years ago. He's got some players there who'll be able to help him with his development. He's got a great coach in Tommy. I think he'll get extra rise time, I think it could be a very, very good move for Callum, and I think we could see his game develop similar to what we saw with Carter and Cammie when they went to uh Solway and Bristol respectively. Got the extra rise time, got those added responsibilities. I think we may well see a similar thing for for Callum and be interesting to see how he does it. Surely doors, but I know he'll probably want to try and uh get one up over his former team and uh prove a little point just to shut just to remind everyone here I am, remember me.

Harrison 57:34

Yeah, for sure. And uh I know Lightning fans will be looking out for him throughout the season as well. He was almost a stallwart in the Lightning side um pro post-Covid, so we'll be good to see him um again. But that is the weekend that Lightning have. It's a very tough one, um, and it'll be a good mark at early doors if the Lightning can come away with that with four points. If Lightning can come out of this weekend getting a victory at home to the playoff champions and away in a tough barn that Telford is, then it's a great start to the season.

Mike 58:11

Yeah, definitely. It's gonna be a it's a cliche, but you don't win the league the opening weekend of the season, but you want to set a marker down early, you want to develop that winning mentality, you want to show to the rest of the league this is us, we mean business, and you don't want to set start the season zero points because otherwise you're already playing the catch-up after the first weekend. And I think Lightning will want to show this season as well that they can win away. It was something that was talked about a lot last season, and they want to try and exercise those demons and exercise those ghosts. What better way to do it than go to a rink where Lightning over the years have struggled? It has been a tough place to go to the Telford Ice Rink, even when uh the Telford Tigers before their their years of success, not me going back ten years ago, it was still a very tough rink, and Lightning would struggle to to pick up victories even even then when that Tigers team weren't winning many games in the season. They still would show up, and I think it probably goes back to the Kings days, the old Newtown derby between Telford and Milton Keynes, and a lot of pride at stake, and they're a very proud club, the Telford Tigers, and it will be tough to go to. And yeah, Leeds Knights at home, they'll bring a they'll bring a large following, they'll bring a loud following. It'll be a great atmosphere, and it'll be a very, very good game. So uh if you haven't got your tickets yet, get them fast because I can see this one being a sellout.

Harrison 59:48

Yeah, we are very much approaching sellout territory. There's already over 2,000 tickets sold for that, and that number is going to grow as the week draws to a close and we head towards the weekend. Obviously, that won't also be the one thing that we didn't mention is that the Knights will have already played their first league game going into that one. They start the season, the season opener against the whole Seahawks on the Friday night, so they'll have an extra game in their step, um, extra game in their step as well. So Leeds Hull on the Friday night, and then if you're a Lightning fan and you've not got your tickets already, head to mk-lightning.com, get your tickets for that fixture against the Leeds Knights on the Saturday nights. Um, and if you're a Lightning fan as well and you haven't, and you've not got anything to do on Sunday, travel up to Telford and support the boys as they travel to a very tough rink and try to get a victory in Telford.

Mike 1:00:51

Yeah, I mean up we'll talk about a tough start for Lightning. Completely forgot that Leeds are at home the night before against Towel. I mean, we said we've got a tough start. So the Knights uh the Leeds whole derby to kick start the uh season and then straight after that, probably be a bit of a bruising encounter. You then head over to head down the M1 to face the Lightning at Milton Kings. So if you're a Knights fan, if you've come away with three or four points from that, you'll be you'll be buzzing.

Harrison 1:01:19

Oh, absolutely. Absolutely, but that will draw this uh episode to a close. Um thank you very much, Pimmy, for for joining the pod and for doing this with me.

Mike 1:01:33

No problem at all. I'm uh I'm sorry, I'll be uh leaving you uh to uh well on on your lonesome maybe next week. I'm not too sure what the plan is, but uh uh I I'll try to uh think of you while someone must have lounging with a cocktail.

Harrison 1:01:47

Yeah, and I'm not at all jealous of that. But yeah, enjoy your enjoy your holiday nonetheless. But um just a final reminder make sure you get your tickets at mk-lightning.com um and keep listening to the podcast, you'll listen to it on all of the socials. If you haven't watched the highlights of the Phantoms game from Saturday night, those were posted on YouTube yesterday as this goes live. Um, that'll be all from us, and we hope to see you at the weekend for the visit of the league's night.