Buzzer report: Swindon Wildcats 3 MK Lightning 2

Total Sport's Danny Gallagher was rink side as Swindon Wildcats took on Milton Keynes Lightning for the final midweek game of the EPL season.

The Link Centre slowly filled to capacity on a cold Wednesday evening, as Swindon Wildcats hosted Milton Keynes Lightning for the final midweek match of the EPL campaign.

The Wildcats entered the contest desperate to make amends for the recent controversial defeat to Peterborough Phantoms, where a wrongly disallowed goal in the final moments snatched away any potential chance of points at a crunch time in the campaign.

The Swindon side were immediately boosted by the return of player head coach Aaron Nell, who took back to the ice just one day after having stitches removed from a nasty facial injury sustained against Sheffield Steeldogs less than two weeks prior.

Mounting early pressure, Wildcats piled forward from the off and soon forced their opposition into an error. Leigh Jamieson received a two minute penalty for tripping as Nell’s side surged on the powerplay.

Lightning managed to keep the advancing Cats at bay and return to full strength, but not before Tomasz Malasinski had gone close by neatly flicking the puck through the legs of James Griffin and firing a shot narrowly over the pipes.

The visitors soon battled back, with Jordan Hedley called into action between the Swindon pipes to deny Lewis Hook, whose chipped effort from the blue line showed Lightning’s intent.

Wildcats continued to knock at the door until the first opportunity finally presented itself. Harvey Stead and Jonas Hoog linked up high up the ice before slipping in Canadian import Carlo Finucci.

A moment of agile skating and neat stick work later the puck was nestled in the bottom corner of the Lightning goal, as the Link Centre erupted in cheers.

With only minutes left in the first period Nell went close to doubling the Wildcats’ tally as Finucci almost turned goal-creator, slipping in his head coach in a prime shooting position. Nell’s effort left netminder Jordan Marr helpless, but was denied by the framework as the puck pinged off the pipes.

The second period began with the Wildcats again asking questions of their visitors, Malasinski and Nell going close after the former robbed the Lightning D-line of possession before slipping in the head coach, only for Nell’s effort to drift narrowly wide.

Momentum began to build for the Cats and the second goal was soon to follow. Capitalising upon a powerplay opportunity after Markku Tahtinen received two minutes for hooking, Wildcats burst high up the ice.

The pace of Jonas Hoog was too much for the Lightning d-line to deal with and, at sixes and sevens, they failed to pick up the waiting Carlo Finucci within the danger area of Marr’s pipes.

Hoog picked Finucci out with eye watering speed and the Canadian hammered away his second goal of the evening, much to the joy of the Wildcats faithful.

Moments later Corey McEwen went agonisingly close to adding a third, testing Marr from the wraparound and causing a goal mouth scramble to erupt. As bodies flailed and sticks clattered, Lightning somehow managed to poke the puck away to safety.

As the period reached its conclusion, a lapse in concentration saw veteran D-man Neil Liddiard receive a two minute penalty with less than sixty seconds left on the clock. Seeking their opportunity, Lightning pounced.

A quick exchange of the puck saw dangerous import Frantisek Bakrlik blessed with room to shoot, beating Hedley from a narrow angle to bring his side back to within one goal of the contest.

The third period got underway with both sides aware the tie could swing in either direction. Wildcats re-entered the ice with the roar of the home support behind them.

Remaining disciplined, Wildcats were soon able to unpick the advances of Milton Keynes and turn them to their advantage. Jonas Hoog used his delicate touch to nip the puck away from McPherson half way up the ice, before setting off a counter.

Supported once more by Finucci, Hoog again slipped in the Canadian who knew exactly what to do. Taking a touch to control the puck in his stride, Finucci lashed his effort past Marr to secure a hattrick for the evening.

Undeterred, Lightning pressed back. With a tactic of harrying the Swindon d-line at close quarters the visitors began a prolonged period of steady build up.

Hedley denied Cownie with a fine saved, after the puck emerged through a cluster of bodies, but the follow up was soon tucked away by forward Bakrlik for his second of the evening.

As the contest entered the final two minutes Swindon threw all hands on deck, desperately sitting behind the puck and fending off wave after wave of blue attack.

Lightning threatened but ultimately could not make the killer blow. Hedley stood strong as Blaz Emersic hurled a last gasp effort in his direction. The resolve of the Wildcats was enough, as the final buzzer echoed across the arena with the final score 3-2.

Next up for Swindon Wildcats is Peterborough Phantoms and an opportunity to right a few recent wrongs.