Period Scores: 0 - 0, 0 - 0, 1 - 1

Penalty Mins:    MK Thunder 35     Peterborough Islanders 66                       

Shots on Goal:  On MK Thunder’s Allen Sutton – 46                                                        

                        On Peterborough’s James Moore – 32       

MK Thunder: Lewis Clifford 1+0.

Peterborough Islanders: Ross MacKintosh 1+0.

Man of the Match:          David Coffey 

Thunder faced their biggest challenge of the season so far last Sunday, against the table topping and unbeaten Peterborough Islanders. Having put in a good performance in their away league game against their local rivals without any result, Thunder were determined to try and be the first to take both points off Islanders when they faced each other in Milton Keynes.

In a fast flowing game played in the right spirit, both teams had early opportunities but found the netminders in good form. Thunder took a few minor penalties in the opening period but the Peterborough powerplay couldn’t find a way through a resolute Thunder defence or past Allen Sutton in goal. A fascinating first period ended goalless with honours even.

The second period continued in similar fashion with neither team being able to unlock the opposition defence despite plenty of end to end action. The period ended with Thunder’s Ivan Turan being given a match penalty for roughing after flooring Islanders’ Jesse Hammill with a single blow, although Hammill suckered Turan into it and then theatrically lay on the ice as if pole axed to make sure Turan was ejected.

At 0-0 going into the final period, Thunder faced played shorthanded for five minutes whilst killing off Turans penalty. Once again a combination of excellent team defence and impressive netminding from Sutton frustrated the Islanders powerplay lines and at 43:05 Lewis Clifford turned the puck over while fore-checking on the penalty kill, broke free and skated in one-on-one against Moore in the Islanders goal. Clifford ripped a lovely shot over the glove of Moore and into the net for Thunder to take a 1-0 lead. Islanders threw everything they had at Thunder but their frustration fell foul of the referee on a number of occasions resulting in numerous 10 minute misconducts, calls which didn’t help Thunder at all because no powerplays resulted. Thunder were looking like they would defend their slender lead successfully, but five minutes from the end Ross MacKintosh managed to get the puck goalwards, Sutton fell on it and looked to have saved, but following consultation between Ref and Goal Judge, the puck was adjudged to have crossed the line and the goal awarded. Both teams went all out for the win in the closing minutes resulting an exciting end to a very good game of hockey with honours shared.