Mike 0:15

Welcome everyone to the latest edition of Lightning Talks, the podcast from Lightning TV, where we talk all things lifestack MK Lightning. I'm Pimmy and I'm delighted to be joined tonight by Harrison. Harrison, looking quite fresh. I know it's but was a long journey back from you from Humberside yesterday. How are you?

Harrison 0:36

Yeah, I'm doing alright. I'm doing alright. A bit tired, but I mean that's the long journey that is back from Yorkshire. And not obviously the most fun of journeys back, but at the end of the day, that's hockey for you.

Mike 0:50

Those road trips they always feel longer after a defeat, and we'll get on to that very shortly. Uh so we will be reviewing uh last weekend's action, the double header against the whole Seahawks. Uh it was first versus second, and it lived up to the billing, it's fair to say. And then we'll also have a quick round up of the league and look ahead to this weekend, where it's uh a bit of a southwest feel for the Lifestack MK Lightning. But uh we'll crack straight on into last weekend's action. And Harris said you were on the commentary with with Chris on a Saturday for what was a blockbuster evening and uh a great advert for the Planet Ice uh National Ice Hockey League as well, wasn't it?

Harrison 1:33

Oh yeah. I mean it was top two, so it's kind of you we went into it knowing what it the sort of game it was gonna be. It was never going to be a high-scoring game. You had the two best netminders in the league, you had the the best attack in the league against the best defence in the league. It it was always going to be one of those affairs that it was both teams were going to feel each other out, and that kind of is what the first couple periods really were. It wasn't too like there weren't neither side really looked like they were dominating, I don't think. It it just seemed a bit like two quality sides that were trying to play their hockey, really.

Mike 2:12

Definitely, it did look like both both teams were trying to get a little feel of each other and sort of to pick out the strengths and weaknesses, maybe where they'd like to target. And as you say, it was I know I know Matty Davis said he felt uh his side was the better team, and uh Pete said in his post-game interview that he thought there were waves where at some points Hole looked to be on top, and then other points it was lightning. And he'd uh he I think he pointed out to say that one period definitely belonged to to Hole. The final period definitely seems to be more lightning, and then the other one was very even. Uh, if it was a boxing fight, I would love to have seen the judges' scorecards filled for something like that because it both teams really did cancel each other out. I'd love a packed crowd again, and good travelling support that came down from Humberside as well. The Seahawks uh did quite a good job and they almost filled that away block as well, which really helped add to the the big game feel.

Harrison 3:04

Yeah, the Seahawks always bring a load of fans down. I remember I think it was the 23-24 season, the the only league game that Lightning lost was to Hull on the second weekend of the season, and I think there was only like four or five, but the support has grown and grown in Hull, and I mean that was early days for the Seahawks iteration. I mean, hockey in Hull has been popular for for tens of years. It's not like a it's not a new thing, it's just a new iteration. You've got to rebuild all of that support again, and they've done really well with it. I mean, they're they're taking fans everywhere, they're one of the noisier fans in the league as well. And yeah, credit to them. They've made a decent amount of noise in that away block, and that definitely helped uh the Seahorses. It's not an easy ring to come to MK, that's and that's not even really a biased opinion. Everyone really says it. Um, but I think there was a little bit more nerves when Carter Hamill scored in that first period, though, that maybe it wasn't going to go their way, but they stuck with it for the for the game. They kept playing their way, they didn't give too many opportunities to lightning. And at the end of the day, it was one of the goals was an empty netter. So on the face of it, it's 2-1. I think Hull fans would be alright with that.

Mike 4:22

Yeah, I mean, I'd I say goals count, and I'd and there isn't a little asterisk at the end that says 3-1, but one goal was an empty netter, it's it's it's two-one or three-one. It it's two points, and lightning need to get that home win, and it just put that little marker down and give him that bit of breathing space and maybe take a little bit of pressure off. But uh you've mentioned that opening goal from Carter Hamill. Very quick reactions off of that face-off win from Liam Stewart and uh Alex Heskellan. He was an absolute star of the whole weekend, really, for the Seahawks, but kind of got caught him a little bit cold on that one. I don't think he'd quite got himself set from the puck drop. It was very quick reactions, and credit to Carter, who's been on the very good uh streak of point scoring and getting another goal to his name and a good face-off win from from Disco as well, because uh we'll talk about it as such, but the face-off wins were key for both sides this weekend, and that face-off dot added helped with teams putting possession on. So a good key win there from Liam.

Harrison 5:24

Yeah, I think it actually was Brady Johnson because the assist has been changed now to Brady Johnson. So I think it might have been one of those where the the face-off violation they've swapped, and it was Brady that won the face-off who went who doesn't normally spend his time in the face-off dot, but either way, as you said, a very important face-off win. And there was a lot of crowd in front of the net. I don't think Heskinen had the best sight of the puck. Um, and that's not taken away anything from Carter's finish. It was a great finish, but I don't think you can really, if you're Hull, you're not going to blame Heskinen for that one because he was really unsighted. Um, and I mean at the time you were looking at it and it was one 1-0 at the end of the first period, and it kind of that's kind of how it felt. It didn't feel like it could have been a runaway from either team. I think Carter Hamill took what I would say would be a deserved lead, but that wasn't to say that Lightning deserved to get any more, it was just that if you had to pick a side, I think Lightnur might have edged it.

Mike 6:23

I was gonna say they both both teams they had a few scoring opportunities when both netminders had to be on on top of their game, but compared to previous games, the clear-cut opportunities weren't quite there. And both defences-I mean, they were blocking shots as if it was a playoff game, but there was a lot of players sacrificing their bodies, getting legs, gloves, sticks, whatever they could to stop the shots getting through on there. And both teams looked very well drilled and disciplined position-wise in defence, and it was that little extra space in the second period that led to Hole getting the equaliser. And the only penalty, or the only time lightning went short-handed, I should add, in that whole game. And Cody Mons was the one who found that bit of space and great finish and a well-worked team goal, I'd say, on that power play. Because I think every player from that whole team touched the park in that build up to Mons burying it past Jordan Headley.

Harrison 7:16

Yeah, it was a superb well-teamed drill that that was definitely worked on in training. Um, and Cody Mons didn't really have much of a difficult shot on net. It was an empty net for him to just slap it into. But I think the special teams really was the story of the weekend. Lightnin's power play sat, I think it was 28% before the weekend. Now it's on 22. That the power play was not hitting, and that was purely because Hull's defence on the power on their penalty kill, 92%. They are a tough cookie to crack. And Lightnon found that out across not just the Saturday game, but across the Sunday game as well. And Hull's power play as well, which had struggled up to this point as well, has now taken a massive rise up. Getting that power play goal on Saturday, and then getting a power play goal yesterday as well. Hull just seemed to be in a better spot on those special teams. And I mean, when you've got players like what Cody Mons, Finlay Orick, Bobby Chamberlain, Emil Speck, and that's not even counting everyone else that they've got. I mean, Ethan Hare did a great job on the power play and the penalty kill for the Seahawks as well. So they've got a lot of talent in that squad, and it was a bit bizarre seeing how low their power play percentage was going into the Saturday game, but now they've got that confidence. I think they've found their feet, and yeah, they're not going to be a team you want to give a power play to again.

Mike 8:41

Yeah, it was one or end of the second, and still could have been anyone's game, and it was quite nervy the start of that third period. Both teams did feel to overcommit too much going forward, they didn't want to get caught on the odd man rushes, but uh an absolute brilliant piece of vision from Kel Beatty and a superb uh stretch pass down the ice found Jared White, who did an absolute superb wrist shot. It was had shades of Adam uh of uh of Adam Carr for those who uh remember some of Karzi's breakaway wrist shots over the glove into the top corner, and that just lifted the roof, really. That really just got the noise on because the crowd had got a little bit quieter, both both sets of supporters. I think we're getting that little bit nervy, and then that just seemed to lift and buoy the the home set the home crowd.

Harrison 9:29

It certainly did. It was a very the whole game was very technical, and both sides were very tactical with their plays, good line changes. One of those line changes for Hull, and it was probably their one dodgy line change the entire night. And Kel Beattie has seen it and has just sent one into the air, and it felt like it was in the air for an age. And Gerald White with he was I don't know how else to say it, but he took so much time, but was also there was no stop while he was shooting. That was a constant, like he was still skating forward while taking the shot. It didn't give Heskin a much of a chance with how close he was. But even if you see the behind the goal camera, the puck is probably two inches above Hesky's glove. Like, there's every chance there. We could be talking about an unbelievable save. Uh, but Jared White with a very key and important goal, and Pete said it in the post-game interview that he thinks Jared White should shoot more. And with a goal like that, and I mean, I think we were on comms for the game against Rostock in pre-season, where Whitey scored another beauty of a goal, similar in style to that one. And you see that and you go, yeah, but then you look at his stats and the goals aren't there.

Mike 10:48

It's a very quick release that that Whitey has got, and yeah, it and I think hopefully he'll take on what Pete said and and and shoot the puck more because the one he scored against Rostock and then again the one against Heskiden, it was just so quick the goalie just won't get set in time, and you just don't see it until too late. I think we saw the the behind goal replay showed it. Heskedon put his glove and looked to see where was the puck, and then the first thing he did is he turned around and he'd seen the goal light was on and Whitey had reeled away celebrating. But the time player White is the first thing he did is he pointed straight at Kel to say great look up play, heads up play to to find that pass and executed it perfectly. It had shaded the Brady Johnson pass to William Stewart up in leads as well. So great finish there, and then defensively the lightning I mean that they were throwing bodies in the way, they were blocking the shooting lanes, and then when shots did come through Jordan Hedley made some outstanding saves to keep the score just to one for Hull, and then Danny Waite second bite the cherry got his uh empty net goal just to put a little put the cherry on the top there and to to give it a gloss, but a very narrow margin of win. But I think if either team had taken like a narrow victory, they would have been quite happy. But for lightning, they got the two points, and more importantly, as well, they got the written regulation as well, so there wasn't the added bonus point for for the Seahawks. And then obviously Sunday came along. Uh you headed up to Hull to watch that one to you with some of the brave traveling by army army that that made that long journey up north. I I was in the comfort of uh my living room watching uh watching the stream and and shout out to the whole stream and to Connor who did a great job on that, a really good set product up there and Hull started off well for the Lightning and uh Kel Beatty getting his first league goal of the season and uh probably came as you said last on the Saturday night. The one iffy line change from Hull was punished. I think that was the one time a Hull player stepped out from the defensive line. I think it was Dylan here, went to finish a check on Danny Waite, who saw it coming, passed it to David Thompson. He took the hit, but Thompson and Kel had gone up on the two-on-one rush. One time shot from Kel, kind of went through Heskin. He may say he might want that one back, but went in and lightning went one-nil ahead. I was there thinking, I was a bit nervous at the head of the game. I was there thinking, Oh, could could we? Could we now? We remembered a little bit of an early storm, but with just an early-ish goal, silenced that home crowd a bit, but hold to their credit, they came back into it, didn't they?

Harrison 13:32

Yeah, they did, and as you said, that opening goal just over three minutes into the game, and it sort of settled some of the nerves in the away block as well. There was definitely less nerves from us um while we were sat there with the drums and the horn. So it was one of those that I think at that time of the game, it looked like Lightning was settled in. They'd got the goal, they've they'd almost accepted the atmosphere, they'd realised what they'd got themselves into. And it wasn't that Hull had I don't think Hull had got out of maybe second gear at that point, and that goal from Kel just seemed to wake up the Seahawks, and all of a sudden, for pretty much most of the game, it was Seahawks pressure pretty much for most of the game until the final 10 minutes. And I mean, Johnny Cornell getting one towards the end of that first period as well, so that you go into the break level. I think Lightning would have taken a one all at the end of the first if you'd have said that. But whatever Matthew Davis said at the end of the first period, because Holt came out all guns blazing, and we also we have to mention we got two uses of the video referee.

Mike 14:50

Yes, uh, and I don't know what it was like in the rink. I've seen a few posts on social talking about oh, it's all this still VAR talking about the football thing. The first one when it went in, I was like, I'm not too sure of that. And they see the review. I mean, I don't know how it felt in the rink, but for me, the review didn't take too long while watching it on the stream. I didn't feel it too long.

Harrison 15:12

Were we talking about the one that was given that was then disallowed?

Mike 15:15

The one that was given, then disallowed.

Harrison 15:17

Um you thought it didn't take long. That's probably because you've got commentators, you've got video reviews, you've got camera angles in the rink. Absolute there's there's nothing. It was very much just a case of we're told um the referee has initially or called for a review, and that's it. And then all you get is them come out of the box and either go or they'll put their wave their arms for no goal. So it there's no communication as to what was being reviewed, it was just a there has been a review.

Mike 15:49

So that was also the same on the stream, but however, as you probably said, there was the talking through with it, and so Connor did a good job to say, and they did explain that the replays the referees could see were not what we saw on the stream as well. So there was other re video uh replays that they also saw that uh they couldn't show on the stream, and whilst the review was in place, they weren't showing the replays either on the stream. Uh so I thought a good protocol being followed there. Um, I mean I thought that one probably did deserve to be reviewed because I wasn't too sure it should have been given. For the second one, which well was the goal that wasn't given for lightning and disallowed, I still have no idea why the review was even called in the first place. I I didn't even see a no appeal for a celebration. The only appeal I saw was I think one of the lightning players felt there was a a check from behind, and one of the players showed it looked a bit borderline, but I mean they said, Oh, we're reviewing a goal. And I was like, It didn't even look like it was.

SPEAKER_01 16:47

I don't think it went in.

Mike 16:50

It didn't even look like it went in, but so I I mean maybe the refers wanted to double check and go, maybe it was a an illusion, or if one of the other officials thought, Oh, I think the park mark across in, so he was like, I just want to call it obviously, knowing it's at the time I think it was still 3-1, or it might have been 4-1 at the time, but that could have changed the game if a goal had been given. It could have so maybe it was just I want to double check myself, the technology's there. It seemed that one seemed very quick. He literally was like he signaled with you, looked in there, saw one replay, and goes, Yeah, I was right, it wasn't expected. Yeah, pretty much, yeah. So um, yeah, I I've I thought it I mean it might be because I'm used to the Premier League and I was watching some of the games at the weekend, and there's been like 10 minute delays whilst they're reviewing every single angle, stopping, pausing, drawing the invisible, the dotted lines and everything. So maybe it's maybe I was just used to it from the Premier League. Obviously, compared to like rugby union and in the NHL, they're almost instant, they're on the phones to Toronto, and it is always straight away. Yeah, that's not a goal.

Harrison 17:47

So uh it wasn't bad. I think it's good that it's getting use as well. I think that it needs to be um common practice, and especially as it's what that this was the first weekend that for some teams it was permanent, yeah. And so for some refs, they might have only had one chance to have a go at it. So if they want to be 100% sure, then I don't see a problem in them giving it a go to sort of clarify a decision, yeah. And if it's gonna come out with the right decision in the end, then I don't think anyone can really have too many complaints.

Mike 18:51

Yeah, I I I I agree, but obviously that that point that that goal given on the ice but then disallowed, it kept the score at one all. And I thought, right, lightning a plate, they get out of jail free card now. Will that be the chance to them to right? Let's go get the heads up, switch on, let's go for this. But it just seemed to fire hull up even more. And we're all was saw that I think it was Fett got that second goal and he pointed at the net and was like, that puck's in the net of that one winning, don't you? You can't disallow that one, and and then from there 2-1 became 3-1 quite quickly. And I I don't know what it was like with the spectators there, but I was kind of on that verge of uh hiding, hiding behind a cushion on that because I thought this this could the whole look fired up for this. The crowd seemed very loud. It it was like you just want that that period buzzer to go, and you just wanted to go in only at 3-1 because it was almost damage limitation for the rest of that period.

Harrison 19:51

Yeah, and I mean at 2-1, that was still in the 32nd minute when Hull got the second. And as the period was clocking down, I think, and I I said it to um mate Ali beside me, I was just like, we need the period break because we were getting absolutely dominated. And 37-44, Ulrich gets the third, you go into the break at 3-1, and yes, it's only two goals, that's still not a big advantage, you've still got the opportunity to claw that back, but suddenly 3-1 just feels a little bit of a mountain to climb, especially away from home in a rink as tough to play at as Hull, and it was an intimidating atmosphere, and I think we've said it last week on the pod as well is that you've got to make your home place an intimidating atmosphere, and Hull is one of the places that does that very well, and they proved that incredibly well. So, absolutely full credit to the Hull fans because they were very vocal, they did their job. Um, but it was overall, I think the Seahawks just had a class A offensive performance. It was just on that Sunday, the Seahawks came to play and they played very good hockey. And I think, yeah, they they are going to be a team that will be fighting at that top end of the table right to the end of the season. Lightning, I would say defensively, and you said it before we went on air as well. Jordan Hedley didn't have a horrendously bad game, but I think there were times where he might have been a bit hung out to dry, and that was more so, I would say, because of how well Hull were getting forward, and they were constantly three on twos, three on twos. And Lightning just couldn't cope with it, and they would just until the last five minutes or so, I don't think Lightning really had a constant possession of the puck.

Mike 21:44

I think so. I mean, I think those last five minutes it lightning was just looking to get a bit of pride, just get a consolation, just could have found something to cheer about, and Heskin and said no and made some absolute blinding saves and everything, and played up to the crowd as well as you would do at home ice as well, get the crowd lifted as well. But I've I've as you say, I mean, I couldn't pick a single whole player that had a bad game. It was a complete team performance. You could have made a case for a player to match for several of that whole whole team. Matt Davis had that game plan and the players executed it perfectly. And some lessons were likely to learn. So I did think they looked a little bit tired and a little bit leggy. I don't know if that was more just heads that dropped after like After going 4-1 down and then later 1-5-1 with that uh Jason Hewitt goal. That was true traffic on the power play. But lighter players looked a little bit tired, especially in the neutral ice. They were still trying to gather back, but there were so many odd man rushes, as you say, and it just looked just a little bit tired, a little bit leggy. And I don't know if that was just the physicality from Hull because yeah, they were relentless for-checking, putting pressure on the D players, forcing turnovers, especially in the attacking zone. There was quite a lot of errors and turnovers. I don't know if it's something to do with the boards, or if it was just they knew where to play in the corners and where to put the players, but Lightning just couldn't really have an answer. And you'll you'll have games like that at times where you've just come across a team that are just that good, that fired up, and yeah, they were there to play. And sadly, from a lightning point of view, they couldn't match them. And I you notice online when there's a con points of contention, you'll see fans complaining. I've not seen one Lightning fan complaining about the result. I think everyone's had to say that in the game said fair play, the better team on the night got the deserved two points and they deserve a win.

Harrison 23:37

Yeah, 100%. I mean, I'd there wasn't there isn't a case that you can really argue that Lightning deserved anything from that Sunday game. And I don't want it to sound horrendously negative, but that's kind of just what the the performance was very positive from the Seahawks. And I don't particularly want to take anything away from that because obviously we're a Lightning podcast, but we've got to give credit where credit is due. And that Seahawks performance was exactly what you want from a team that are trying to get their first trophy, and they've been so close on so many occasions now, and this whole squad feels like the best opportunity in a very long time for them to be able to get over that line, and they're in a good position to do that in all in all three competitions. Obviously, the playoffs are towards the end of the season, but they're looking at the top end of the table, so playoffs doesn't seem to be an issue. The cup, they're in the top four right now, so positive for that, and they're one point off top in the league. What can you complain about if you're a whole Seahawks fan, really? And Lightning, we've also got to look at the positives there as well. We've shared the points with Hull, they haven't gained a point on us over the weekend. Yes, we've took a little bit more of a beating on the Sunday than on the sat and than Hull got on the Saturday, but in terms of points, both teams got two points. We've not ended this weekend in a worse spot than what we started it in. And that's a positive. The other positive is that the win that Lightning did get was a cup game as well. That's the important one, especially for a trophy that Lightning didn't even qualify for last year. So early doors, you want to make that cup qualification. So getting the cup win, huge already. And you also just go, it's a good opportunity for them to have a lesson and be humbled, really. Because as you said, you're gonna have those off days, and if you can have one of those off days this early into the season, then the players can have a look at it and go, right, we need to be better. That is what we're gonna come up against.

Mike 25:40

We need to beat that for sure, and obviously to be positive on that, lightning is still top, but they've got enough lessons there, and those players are gonna know about feeding, and they're not gonna have want to repeat that feeding as well. And I got I saw at the end of the stream as well, every single Lightning player to their credits skated over to the travelling fans to clap them, and probably was a little bit of a thank them for making the effort, and also possibly a little bit of a yeah, sorry, sorry, we couldn't do better for that. And I like to see that because sometimes after a defeat like that, you just want to get off the ice, get on the bus, and get home. So credit to to Pete and all the players as well for doing that and acknowledging the support because it is a trek out there, and yeah, not not the result, or I'm not gonna say the performance because and I think even if lightning were on their A game, I still don't know how that game could have gone because Hull were just that good. I couldn't see another team living with with Hull for that game, and yeah, you just gotta tip your hat there. And as you say, split series to two points for each team. Probably the one team that's probably that probably won the most out of that weekend was the Romford Raiders, who got their four-point weekend, and we'll touch on that later, but it means they they closed the gap on the top two, as does Swindon, with a couple of games in hand as well. So the big winners weren't either Hull or Milton Kings, it would have been the chasing teams below them. Yeah, so it makes for a good makes for a good league. It makes for a good competitive league. You don't want one team to to run away with it. Obviously, I say that as a lightning fan, I want us to win every game, but for a neutral, you want a competitive league. You don't want to see one team just winning the title by by Christmas, and then the rest of the season just being a bit of a yeah exhibition. So yeah, it's good to see competitive hockey, and uh it'll be interesting to see this weekend how the lightning bounce back and what the answer will be for the lightning. And uh Lightning will be hurting, they'll be wounded, they'll be looking for a bit of revenge. So uh lead us into this weekend, but uh you kind of feel a bit fear a bit now for for poor Bristol Pitbulls who will be coming into Milton Keynes, a a rink where they've had some struggles in recent years, and they'll be coming up against a very fired up MK Lightning, I imagine.

Harrison 27:55

And also you've got to look at the fact that Lightning have been without Jordan County since match week one and haven't played then import netminder in the league at all yet. So we've got those to come back as well. And Jared We obviously has been on the squad sheet for the last couple weekends. You'd kind of expect that he might get the start against Bristol as well, get him involved and just get in that sort of experience that he's not had really yet. And I think that's one of the things is that Lightning are top of the league without one of their best Brits and without an import netminder playing an import down. So there's a lot of positives to take, but it is gonna be interesting to see how Bristol um cope, especially considering that Bristol played the night before as well, um, as before coming up to the Thunderdome. And like as you said, lightning are gonna be hurting and they're gonna want revenge. And unfortunately for for Bristol, it's not against Hull that they're trying to get the revenge against now. It's it's move on and go to the next week. But yeah, that although they weren't the only games that happened this weekend, and there were some interesting results.

Mike 29:06

Yeah, yeah, definitely. And this this this league continues to deliver surprises, and uh only two teams over the weekend got four-point weekends, and one of them possibly might have been a bit of a surprise one because it it's not very often that uh Solway come away with four-point weekends, but they fully deserved both wins, and uh they started uh superbly up in Dumfries hosting Peterborough.

Harrison 29:31

Yes, yeah. I mean the the weekend started obviously on Friday with Swindon getting a 4-1 home victory against Leeds, and Leeds' struggles have sort of continued, really. However, on the Saturday, it did bounce back with a quite impressive 5-3 away win to Basenstoke. And I think a lot of people would probably have written Leeds off there. Kieran Brown getting himself a brace. I mean, if that's his start to his form, Leeds will be very thankful that he's back on the score sheet.

Mike 29:59

He had struggled, and it's been very interesting because I know a few people do the fantasy, do fantasy hockey, and Kieran Brown's probably that Brit that you'd probably be like, yeah, him and Luke Ferrara are probably for two Brits you'd think straight away, go for them. And he struggled, and it's possibly that where Kieran's been struggling a bit just point production wise, it's been a struggle. Leeds have struggled as well. A little bit of revenge, probably for Leeds as well, because they lost to Bison the week before week then before up at home as well in in overtime, and then getting a win at Basingstoke and yeah, losing at Swindon. But how many teams can really go and if you got you take points away from the link centre, you know you're doing you're done well because that is a tough rink to go and pick the points up. It's a it's a bit of a fortress for the Wildcats.

Harrison 30:43

It really is. And talking about their uh their sort of local rivals, the Pitbulls, got themselves a shootout win against Telford on Saturday. Will Curlin facing over 60 shots in that one to get the Pitbulls a victory? That is exactly what the the Pitbulls needed. They need that home win. They they'd missed out on it, they'd obviously got the win away in Basenstoke, but they hadn't got that home victory, and how that must have felt for them to get that victory. And um, Jake Bricknell with the winning penalty shot. It it's good to see that the Pitbulls, again, they're gonna take points off of teams. You can't write the pit bulls out.

Mike 31:26

No, and it's good for them because they they they get good crowds at Bristol and they just haven't been getting the results. And it's a shame because I we talked about it on previous podcasts before and and also on commentary. That pool in that area, you've got the Twin and Mile Cats nearby, you've got the Cardiff Devils. Bristol is a tough place to try and tick pick from that talent pool in that southwest area. And I know they've uh they've strengthened they've just uh announced earlier on this evening, they've signed Tom Barry as well. So that's an extra experienced D-man that'd be joining them for this weekend. And I think their problem hasn't been scoring the goals, it has been just defensively. So the fact that we'll made over 60 saves as well. That your goal is making saves like that, you know you're gonna be in with a chance, and yeah. I saw the goal from Jake Bricknell as well, that winning penalty shot. Love the move from him, and you know what he can do for for you on the and then you saw the celebrations, and rightly so, it's been a been a while for the Pitbulls fans before they celebrated a home win. So I I'm sure they enjoyed every every moment of that. And uh probably was be a big, big celebration at the final buzzer in the stands, and it looked it looked like every fan was having a good time there, so yeah, good for them. And hopefully for them it means a couple more points for them, and they can start making definitely making the Bristol Rinker a bit of a fortress as well, just so they can uh pick up that home form. And I think, yeah, if you you sort your home form out, win some on the road, and then suddenly you're looking at we're not bottom, we could be looking at the teams above, and that they they can see Peterborough, they can see Telford, they can see Solway kind of in their reach, they're not out of reach for them at all, and they'll be wanting to try and put together some wins.

Harrison 33:09

Yeah, it's still early in the season, of course, and as you said, home form's important, but if we talk about a team that have lost their 100% home streak now, Sheffield Steel Dogs, losing in overtime to a couple from TJ Anderson getting Romford the first two their first two points of that weekend. And that, I think for me was the result that sort of surprised me seeing it on paper because I suppose every season you look at Romford and you sort of you almost picture them in that seventh spot and that that that sort of comfortably in playoffs, but in the lower end. But you said it before we went on there, Sean Easton and imports, it's like a match made in heaven.

Mike 33:54

He just finds those gems, like whether it is like like Schufeld, Miller, like he brought in Adam Lastrum as well, and yeah, he's got it with Leopacalo and Barrett Irwin. He just knows how to find a good talented import, and he he brings some of the younger guys over, obviously that appeal being in London, but he just does it so well, and then he's got that brick core, and they they're so loyal to Romford. They love they love playing for the club, they play for that jersey. And you've got the likes of Tom Alin, you've got the likes of TJ Anderson, Jake Sylvester, Brandon Aylift, they've got such a good brick call there. And yeah, I I I'm not surprised at the moment they seem to love overtime. They they love they love getting overtime, and that must be a bit of a psychological thing. If that buzzer goes at 60 minutes and it's a tie game, and then you're looking at that Romford bench, they're probably stood up there getting excited, going whether we score in the five minutes or it goes to penalty shots. We've got the belief we can do this, we've got the players who can win this, and yeah, they're looking very very good. And yeah, they're a team that can play 65 minutes. No, no, not 60, they played the full 65.

Harrison 35:04

You cannot rest against Romford and the final game on the Saturday, massive win in Dumfries for Solway, 7-3 at home to Peterborough. Both sides quite short skaters. There wasn't many on the on the game sheet for either side, but it was the host that came away with a very big win, and it's been a bit of a turbulent week for the Phantoms. They've they've not had it easy, and you've just got to hope that they can get maybe a new coach in and they can sort of turn it around because it's not looking great for them at the moment, is it really?

Mike 35:40

No, it's it just seems to be something not right there. I don't know if it's been recruitment or or what. It seemed that Tate Tate and the Phantoms part parted ways. I'm not too sure whether it was one, if it was a mutual agreement, one was forced out, or if if if Tate went. Um but yeah, it's it's it's very weird because Phantoms has always been that tough team to play. You know what you're gonna get from them, um and it just hasn't clicked for them. I know they've had a few injury issues as well, there's a few players missing, but yeah, it it it seems from social media as well it doesn't seem a happy camp. Um heads are down, but I'm I'm sure they'll turn it around. They've been in situations like this before the Phantoms and they've they've bounced back. They had going back quite a few years though, I think they had one of their worst ever seasons. I mean the following year they won the treble. So it just shows what Peterborough can do. It's it's always a roller coaster at Bretton, and at the moment, yeah, something's not quite right, but they're not a bad team. Did you look at the players there? They're not a bad team. So something once it something clicks, I think it'll probably start working for them. But and also well, a journey up to Dumfries from Peterborough, and then back the same night for the the return game on Sunday. That those players must have been must have had some bust legs there. That was a tiring, exhausting journey.

Harrison 37:02

And when you've not got many skaters as well, that makes it even harder.

Mike 37:06

And and Dumfries, it's it's a small pad, it's a very small pad. It's a tough it's a tough rink to go and to go to, and I can imagine they got a few early goals in that game as well. That the uh Solway did, and I can imagine that uh Billy and the uh the Solway the Solway Tartan army would have probably been uh making as much noise as possible when that that that barn would have been rocking.

Harrison 37:29

Oh yeah, and full credit to Solway as well. And I mean you go on to the Sunday as well, and they made it a four-point weekend with a 6-2 victory in Breton as well. And again, full credit to Solway, their imports are stepping up and they are doing a good job, but also defensively conceding only five goals across two games against Peterborough, who have an attack that consists of Ferrara, Larkin, and goodbye, Lawrence Berg. That's pretty impressive.

Mike 38:00

Yeah, I think I saw I think they had nine forwards and five D men Solway, so they didn't even have three full lines, and then they managed to go to Bretton and come away with a 6-2 win. And I think they were 2-1 down at the start of the third as well. So what a what what and that was without Yanceis as well. Subway were without Yansis. So yeah, credit to Martin Grubb and and the Solway too, because we'd said it a few weeks back though, they they were putting in good performances, they weren't quite getting the results that the performances deserved, and now they're getting they're getting the performance, they're getting the results now as well. And a good four-point weekend for them, and that would really give them a lift, especially going to Peterborough to pick it up two points. I know it's not maybe this season, not the fortress that it once was, but it's a tough brink to go to. You think it might be done well to get the win there. So those 14 skaters from Solway should be would have been very pleased. And I imagine that bus journey back north of the border probably would have been a very would have felt very short. They probably were flying back up the uh the motorway back up back up to uh Dumfries.

Harrison 39:04

Oh, they would have been enjoying themselves, as would Romford's fans with another overtime victory against the Sheffield Steel Dogs as well. It is going really well for the Rangers and a four-point weekend. They now are level on points with Hull at one point behind Lightning. And suddenly, there's not just one team on Lightning's tail, there's two. Um, and the final one is Telford Tigers getting a very nice 6-2 win at home to the Bison. And one thing to note from that game, which I think a lot of Lightning fans might be quite happy to hear, Callum Field got himself on the score sheet for the first time with the Tigers in a game which you probably would have been surprised to see the score that heavily in Telford's favour if he went just on paper. But it's a much needed victory for the Tigers. Gives them a little bit of confidence. And in terms of how that leaves the table, in terms of the league at least, Lightland still sit top with 17 points. Hull and Romford are just behind on 16 points. Swindon and Sheffield are on 12 points. However, Swindon have only played eight games. If they win both those games in hand, they'll be level with Hull and Romford on 16, and suddenly that chasing pack is ever growing. Uh Telford have made their way up to six now, joint on points with Biston, um, having played a game less than the Basin Stokes outfit. Solway finish out the top eight with eight points. Leeds and Peterborough, ninth and tenth. I don't think we'll be saying that for the rest of much of the season, but it's still bizarre to see at this time with Leeds on eight points, the Phantoms on six points, and at the bottom with four points, but still a game in hand, Bristol. Um, however, there were some cup games on the weekend, and how the cup table looks, Romford sit pretty with a hundred percent record in the cup. Six games, 12 points, they lead the standings. Lightning are very close behind with 11 points, with that one point that they dropped being to the Raiders last week. Hulsehawks sit in third with 10 points from six games. They're only lost coming at the hands of Lightning on Saturday. Swindon have only dropped one point from four games, they've got seven. So again, they are very much in that fight for the top four as well. Sheffield with five points from four games, they're not out of it either. And then you start going down to Peterborough Telford with four points, Baden Stoke with three, Leeds and Solway on two, pit bulls on zero. So right now the standings are looking good if you're a Lightning fan. You're first in the league, you're second in the cup, quite comfortably in that top four when it comes to the cup standings. However, that does nicely lead us on to the fixtures this weekend. And we mentioned obviously Lightning have got Bristol at home, but Sunday's game is the real test. When you have to travel up to the Link Centre, or down, should I say, to the Link Centre to face a side that very much could end the weekend behind you by one point. That's another big test. That's like travelling up to Leeds, travelling up to Hull. And so far, like they've got the victory away to Leeds. They struggled obviously yesterday at Hull, but going away to Swindon is going to be a massive, massive test to see what this side can do.

Mike 42:46

Definitely. I mean, I think when I saw those fixtures come out, and I saw the away games in October, and I just thought that is brutal, especially considering the results from last season, and then you just saw Leeds, Romford, Hull, Swindon, and then Sheffield as well. Well, first of November that weekend as well. You just saw those away fixtures, and you just thought I don't think we could have had four tougher road games in that month. And at the moment it's it's it's it's 50%, so they've taken three points from a possible six, which isn't a bad return. Um but yeah, Link Censor Lightning up. I'm trying to think the last time Lightning had won at Swindon.

Harrison 43:34

Seem to remember an overtime victory two years ago. There we go. I I think it was there's the playoff winning season. I seem to remember there being an overtime win. Other than that, I think I'd argue the Link Centre has probably been the rink that Lightning have won the least at, from what I can remember post-COVID anyway.

Mike 43:56

Yeah, I mean, I think we won away victory in regulation. Well, I say away victory, it was played at Planet Eyes Milton Keynes when the Link Centre was uh being uh repaired following the flood damage. So we can't. Yeah, I don't think we can count that. That that doesn't really it go went down as an away game on paper, but there was uh it distinctively looked uh looked like Milton Keene's rink for uh even if it was uh class as a home game for Swindon.

Harrison 44:21

Uh I don't think Swindon will accept uh a Rory Herman, Michigan as being at their rink. They won't be taking that as a

Mike 44:30

Very true, even if it was Begsy that called it, but yeah, we'll uh it was DJ Bertie that played the lightning goal music after it and everything, so yeah, it it by all intents and purposes it it wasn't it wasn't a road game, but it it will be a tough game to go there. And I know they swindled in their opening weekend, they only got the single point, but since then they've only dropped one other point, and that was in overtime against the Raiders. So that's everyone loses to the Raiders in overtime at the moment, so that that that that's you're they're in good company there. It's it will be a very it'll be a test for Pete Russell and the team, and obviously it's a tough ring to go to if the away fans are in that little bottom corner, so the noise doesn't really travel much, and you've got that big balcony, and you've got the Swindon fans looking down on you. It's a ring that Pete is familiar with, though. He's he's spent time at Swindon, so he he knows what it's what it's all about there. But full strength Wildcat side. It'll be it'll be a good it'll be a big battle, another good test, and it'll be a full blood and guts game again as well, because both teams they don't like losing to the other, and there's been some very, very good on ice battles the last few years between the Wildcats and the Lightning.

Harrison 45:47

Yeah, and I mean at the moment for the Wildcats, it's been the imports that have have stood out. I mean, their top four point scorers are their four import forwards. I mean, Liam Fraser's got himself 18 points from eight games, and Sean Richards 16 points from eight games. It they are firing, and I think the one criticism you could have had of Swindon last year was that I think Malasinski was towards that start of the season, he was sort of slowing down, and you could see that the Wildcats just needed that little bit of extra speed and that bit of extra firepower. Viegas came in and the Wildcats were a completely different side. Now they've got there's a much younger side in there, they've got those players, and now massively for them, Ben O'Connor being back, his injury, which he suffered funnily enough, on my birthday this year in January during warm-up, has kept him out for the entirety of the end of last season, which I mean who knows what would have happened in the playoffs, but you'd have you know bet your bottom dollar that that would have given Swindon a massive opportunity to get to um playoff final, and then missing the start of the season, he's played a couple games, he's already got three assists. I mean, that leadership that you've now got at the back, you've still got Ryan Wells, you've still got Ben O'Connor, you've got newly captained Tyler Plouse. There is a very good D corps there, and I mean Bebris when he decides he wants to play D, um Ed Bradley as well. Like, yeah, and I'm forgetting names there. It's their D is what has been the shining factor for the Wildcats last season and this season. They've got the second best defence in the league as of right now. Obviously, they've played a couple games less, but they've also only five goals off of the most scored team, um, or the the team at the top, and that's Lightning. And funnily enough, Solway are the team that have scored the most goals in general. But Swindon are a team that are going to be very, very difficult to break down. That's their problem, is yes, they've got the attack that can score against you, but it's getting past that D. And even when you get past that D, you've got to find a way past Rennie Ma. And if Rennie Maher performs like he did last season, Swindon will be up there at the end of the season as well.

Mike 48:13

Yeah, yeah. And we we were talking at the beginning of the season, and there was some leadership that lost the left. I mean, obviously, Lavinell hung up the skates, he's now bench coach full-time. Malasinski, such a loyal servant to the club over the years, Sam Bulis retiring, uh Luke Johnson taking a year out, Sam Godfrey also, they've lost a couple of big key experienced guys, and we're wondering how's that leadership gonna happen? Well, the guys have stepped up, and you've got like you've got players like Glenn Billing and Chris Jones who just add that extra depth. They're gonna be a it's gonna be a tough game down at the league centre, and they they always are. Even when the Wildcats like we're going back sort of a decade or so, were more of that sort of that sixth, seventh place team in in in the EPL, but it was still a tough ring to go and get get a result from, and they're well drilled, they're well supported, it's a very good setup there, and yeah, it'll be a it'll be a tough game on the Sunday, but but probably also got to talk about the Saturday home game a little bit as well. Obviously, we said the lightning will be hurting, but Bristol, they'll be coming up Lower Points to prove, and it'll be interesting to see that attacking line uh playing in the uh at the Thunder Dome. Also, as well, there'll be a few familiar faces for the Lightning fans to keep an eye out for. Um Will Curlin, who we spoke about earlier on. Probably likely to be between the pipes. Josh Kelly on D. Jarvis Hunt has been out of the lineup for the last couple of weeks. We don't know if Jarvis Hunt will be there, will be icing or not this weekend, but there's some good players there, and you've also got the likes. Um they've lost Bailey Harewood there, but they've still got some very good, solid players there and good young players that are coming through at Bristol and a little other points to proof, and that's not forgetting, of course, that top line of Dylan Stewart, John Dunbar, and Jake Bricknall.

Harrison 50:10

I can't lie, that's one of the best lines in the league.

Mike 50:13

Yeah, but that is an all-star line, that is. That top three. That that is that's scary.

Harrison 50:20

It's the fact that Solway didn't make playoffs with with either Dylan Stewart in their lineup or with uh John Dunbar in their lineup, and it's crazy how you look at that. And Jake Bricknall, for for all intents and purposes, his stats in the NIHL are a joke. He's played a hundred and if I'm right, I've not got my stat sheet in front of me, but I've seem to remember doing it yesterday. 119 games in the NIHL, 117 goals. That's a joke. Nearly having a goal a game is a joke. And I mean, we were glazing Cam Huff last season, and yeah, unbelievable forward. But Jake Britain has now done it for two and a half seasons, and he's still continuing to do it. And you've got to look at the fact that he's doing that all while being at a team which are struggling as well. This isn't just that he did it with Swindon, he's now doing it with Bristol, and it just shows you the quality that he has and the ability that he has to find the net. And I mean, if we just take a look at the last, say, four three or four fixtures for Bristol, they started the season with that high-scoring goal fest uh against Romford where they scored 11 but conceded 15, and you had a feeling looking at that first weekend that Bristol were going to be that team that will score a hell of a lot of goals but will also concede a hell of a lot. And then you go into the following weekend where they lose 9-0 away to Swindon, they lose 5-3 at home to Lightning, and then they have a really tough weekend, 6-2 at home to Hull, they lose a 5-1 loss away to Sheffield, and you just start to think where are those points gonna come from? How are they gonna get on the board? And then they travel to Basingstoke on a, I think if I remember rightly, it was a Friday night, and they beat them comfortably 5-2, and it was the power play that was on full effect, and then they fall to Solway, but then they get a shootout win against Telford. The last three games, they have picked up four points out of a possible six. That is something that needs to be you've got to keep an eye on. This is no easy league. You you're not going to walk over teams, and Bristol are now showing that they've arrived. They had a tough start to the season, but they've got it behind them, and Ritchie Hargreaves has done a very good job to turn things around, especially with Alice Padalek quite early on. It might have sort of like just pushed things aside and made things a little bit difficult. But Richie Hargreaves has got it together, and Bristol are now aside that they've scored four goals in their last three games at minimum. So yeah, you've got to keep an eye out for them. But this is you look at Lightning's roster, and if you if you're looking on paper, you would expect Lightning to get the two points on that Saturday night. And Bristol have got a tr Bristol have got a face basin stock at home on Friday. There's still a game they've got to play before coming to the Thunderdome.

Mike 53:42

Yeah, and uh you mentioned that game on a Friday. So uh should we just look at the other fixtures around the league as well? Uh, because yeah, I I think they're both very good games, but there's uh more of intrigue across the league as well, isn't there?

Harrison 53:56

There is some quite interesting fixtures uh going on in the national this weekend. Romford Raiders host Telford on Saturday, quarter past five face off. You'd probably expect the Raiders to get a result there, but you put your money on it going to overtime. Um, the Bison after Friday night um is away game to the Pitbulls, have got to host the Swindon Wildcats. So a relatively difficult weekend for Swindon as well, and also a bit of a local rivalry that's now come back with the Bison being back in the league. Uh Solway, after having to travel to Leeds on Friday night, which is going to be a tough fixture in itself, have to host the whole Seahawks. That is a really tough Yorkshire weekend for the Scottish outfit. And I think if they can get two points from that, however that comes about, they will be laughing.

Mike 54:53

Yeah, and I think even I think if you're Solway off that four-point weekend, you want to try and pick up a win. Uh, hopefully they'll got some skaters back and they'll have a few more bodies. I know they have a few extra when they're at home, and uh, they did announce as well that uh Cole Giantero is now his main club will now be Solway, so they should be able to call on him. So they should now have 3D pairings, they shouldn't be short with the uh five 5D. Obviously, that Friday at Leeds, it I guess it'll all depend on uh if uh Cole's still the student, if he's uh able to uh travel down to Leeds, but he will be available on the Saturday for Solway up against the Seahawks, and they'll probably need as many bodies as possible because it's it's uh four forward lines that whole role and and the 3D and the 3D pairing. So, yeah, they're gonna need as many skaters as possible because there's bodies in that whole team.

Harrison 55:45

Yeah, it's gonna be a tough fixture for Solway, but it's at home on their own ice pad, and anything can happen up in Dumfries. Obviously, lightning will face off against the Bristol Pitbulls, and then Sheffield Steel Dogs at home to Peterborough Phantoms. It's a repeat of the cup semi-final from last year. It'll be interesting to see what Peterborough shows up in Sheffield. But going on to the Sunday, Peterborough again, a tough weekend for them. They've got to host the Romford Raiders, and it's a tough route to go to, Peterborough. There's no denying that still. But Romford Raiders are on a high right now, and they'd be backing themselves to get a four-point weekend there. Whole Seahawks have a Yorkshire derby as they host the Sheffield Steel Dogs on Sunday. That's gonna be a cracker as well. Um, it'd be interesting to see how the battle of the import netwinders you'd expect there. Telford hosts the Leeds Knights as well. That'll be a tough one for both sides, really. Leeds obviously need to try and get themselves up the table. Telford got themselves a very promising win at home to Bison last week. They're gonna be wanting to build on that. And then Lightning away to the Wildcats. It's there's it's a put it this way: it's gonna you can't predict this league. You just can't predict it. It's so so unpredictable. In terms of which fixtures this weekend are uh part of the cup. Um, Bristol versus Basenstoke on Friday is a cup fixture. Uh on Saturday, Basenstoke versus Swindon is a cup game. That's gonna be massive, especially as Swindon have a couple in hand, and Basenstoke are not fully out of it, so they're gonna want to be trying to chase the pack in front. Steel Dogs Phantoms is a cup fixture on Saturday. On Sunday, all of the games except Hull versus Sheffield are a cup game, including the Wildcats, Lightning, which that could be if Lightning can get a victory there, you'd almost bet your bottom dollar that that's the cup semi-final secured, really.

Mike 57:55

I think so, and possibly, but whichever team wins is pretty likely also to impact final positions, and I think the cup format's still the same as previous years that the team that finishes first gets to pick their opponents. So as as it says, it's Romford. Would Romford likely pick Milton Keynes? I wonder, because they know they've got the win over Red K before travel-wise, it's fairly close. And they think back a couple of years ago when they played the Lightning in the Cup semi-final, they beat the Lightning at the Sapphire and then at Planet Ice, Milton Keynes. So would that be in their memory? So it would be intriguing to see who finishes first and who picks who because all all four of those top teams, there's not you can't pick an easy game and a clear cup window in any of them, really. So they're very interesting to see. But uh yeah, tickets for this Saturday's game against the Pitbulls are available, as are the next few weeks' fixtures as well at mk-lightning.co.uk and of course we'll be streaming it if you can't make it to the rink on Lightning TV. Stream and ticket details available on the Lifestack MK Lightning website. I think that's everything covered from last weekend and this weekend, Harrison. Uh obviously this weekend, another big fixtures. We'll see how the lightning bounced back after that first regulation loss. And I think uh Pete Russell will expecting a statement from the Lightning as well.

Harrison 59:25

Yes, he's gonna want something to sort of bounce back. And the lightning need it, they need to give the fans uh I mean, 100% record at home, you're gonna want to keep that for a start. But especially for those that made that journey up, you want to it's just it's one of those when you're playing away from home, you're almost doing your performing for those that travel. Um, because especially for the long journeys, that it's almost that sort of fire in your stomach of let's do it for them, give them that that victory. And Bristol are gonna want to do that for their fans that will come up as well. So Lightning's got to be aware of that, but it's that truck, that tough trek down to the length centre. It's gonna be interesting to see because you've got again a team that are very good defensively against a team that are very good on the offense. It's hard to predict if it's very hard to predict. I think you'd both sides would probably expect them to get the win. I think Swindon would be confident at home that they'll be able to take a victory, and Lightning have got the confidence of they've been to Leeds, they've got a victory in Leeds, so why not?

Mike 1:00:38

Yeah, definitely, and uh it should be a good game. Both both games are, and uh you can catch up with all the action online or indeed. They're in a flash at both games. Uh are you going to I don't know you'll be like the Saturday game. Will you be going to Swindon or will you be actually unfortunately? I've got work. That is a shame. That is a shame, but who knows? Some people might be superstitious and think you went a hole when we lost. So if you're not going to Swindon, it might be a chance opportunity to.

Harrison 1:01:08

Hey, I was in Telford when we won. I was I've I've experienced a regulation win, uh a shootout loss, and a regulation loss. So now it's just time for an overtime win. That's all I'm that's kind of what I'm waiting for now. Next away game for me, isn't it? Until uh I think I've got Peter Peterborough away as my next one that's starting uh uh to what in November.

Mike 1:01:31

So November. Very done, very off. Well, but thanks a lot, Harrison. And uh just before we we wrap up as well, just mention uh the online raffle that the Lightning Supporters Club are doing on their Facebook pages, a chance to win a game worn jersey from the Halloween shirts that'll be against Peterborough next weekend. So uh check out the Lightning Supporters Club Facebook page for that. And also, whilst you're there, don't forget as well to subscribe to the Lightning Talks podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, where you'll be able to catch up and hear or watch the podcast as they come out, and you can also catch up on the previous episodes as well if you haven't done so. Uh, but for that Harrison, thanks for tonight, and uh we'll see you on Saturday for the visit of the pit bulls. And uh for that, thanks for for watching us on Lightning Talks, and we'll see you for next week's episode.