Ice hockey is back with a bang this week as the Smith Recycling-sponsored Milton Keynes Lightning play the first of two home pre-season challenge matches on Saturday 27 August against silverware rivals the Telford Tigers. The fixture is just one part of a bumper season launch evening beginning at 5pm at Planet Ice Milton Keynes.
The campaign ahead will be MKL’s 15th and final one at English Premier League level; from September 2017 the club will compete at the highest level in the UK, the Elite Ice Hockey League. 
Ahead of that move, though, comes a season with League, Cup and Play Off silverware up for grabs and Head Coach Pete Russell’s side determined to bring home at least one of those trophies for their fans, frequently referred to as the best in the EPL.
GB Head Coach Russell has signed a side combining youth and experience, retaining some well-known MKL names and signing players new to the club, not just from the UK but further afield.
Lightning stalwarts including Adam Carr – the club’s longest serving player – Leigh Jamieson, Michael Farn and Lewis Christie will all return. Young guns from last season including Bobby Chamberlain, Jordan Cownie, Lewis Hook, Ed Knaggs, Glenn Billing and Luc Johnson will all be out to bolster their experience as part of one of the most competitive sides the club has ever assembled. Highly rated Brit forward Tom Carlon returns after a spell coaching in Abu Dhabi, netminder Jordan Hedley is back after a season with EPL rivals Swindon Wildcats and James Griffin is back for a second season.
Pic: Simon Emm
New signings include Polish national team net minder Przemyslaw Odrobny, his countryman Mikolaj Lopuski and Czech Milan Baranyk – who moved from rivals Peterborough Phantoms along with much sought-after Craig Scott, The uncompromising Frankie Bakrlik and cool head of Blaz Emersic remain in the roster, all providing Coach Russell with a range of attacking options.
Saturday’s game sees Lightning face Tom Watkins’ side for the first time since April’s play-off quarter finals, when MKL stopped them progressing to the showcase Coventry finals weekend. Pete Russell’s side went on to defeat newly-crowned league champions Basingstoke in the semi final, progressing to a coveted final spot against Guildford Flames.
The Tigers have seen a busy summer in the player transfer market, eight players leaving, nine arriving and ten awarded new contracts.
Imports Martin Ondrej, Peter Szabo, Andrei Makrov and Max Birbraer all took the exit door at Telford Ice Arena – highly-rated Birbraer moving south to join EPL rivals Swindon. Brit forward Dan Davies signed with league champions Bison while netminder Tom Murdy and defenceman Dale White move to the Elite League and NIHL respectively.
Telford become the latest EPL team to sign a non-British trained netminder with Pole Ondrej Raszka providing Sam
Gospel with competition for a place between the pipes. Elite League experience comes courtesy of forwards Doug Clarkson and Matty Davies who arrive from Dundee Stars and Manchester Storm respectively. They’re joined by more forwards from the EPL: Warren Tait from Hull Pirates, Corey McEwen from Swindon Wildcats and Michal Satek from Manchester Phoenix. Slovakian former U20 captain Milan Kolena completed the Tigers’ summer signings recently – his agent being new team mate Raszka!
Luke Brittle – younger brother of former MKL star Adam – returns to the UK and Telford after a short period playing in the Spanish league. Two years ago he was the third highest point-scoring Brit in the entire NIHL and returns to the Tigers after a gap of three years. Finally, Tigers will ice defenceman Adam Jones, older brother of Lightning summer signing Sam.
After finishing the 2014-15 season as EPL champions in their first season under new ownership – with the League and Cup trophies to their name – Tigers last season finished in fourth place – equal on points with Lightning but having won two more games over the whole campaign. Coach Tom Watkins says having signing four import forwards gives him multiple options offensively and a scoring threat across all lines.
Face off is at the earlier than usual time of 6pm and before that, at 5pm, there’s a Q&A session in the bar with the MKL coaching team and the big reveal of this year’s jersey designs! Straight after the game we return to the bar for the annual Meet The Players session – you won’t want to miss any of this very special night!
Tickets for Saturday’s game are on sale now from the Planet Ice MK box office on 01908 540020, via our website at mk-lightning.co.uk/tickets or in person at the box office. Our new, improved ticketing system means that for advance sales, an e-ticket will go to your email address, eliminating the need to queue to collect it on matchnight! Simply print your e-ticket and show it on your phone at the turnstiles for faster access to your seat (no ticket collection facility will be available on matchnights).
MK Lightning would like to advise all supporters that in common with many other leisure venues, bag checks will take place at the turnstiles to ensure the safety of all fans, team and matchnight staff.
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