Lightning Strikes to Send Seahawks Crashing out of the Cup
Hull Reckitt Seahawks v MK Lightning – 10/11/2024
“There have been some tough nights doing this job over the past couple of years, but this one is right at the top,” said a disappointed Hull Reckitt Seahawks Head Coach, Matty Davies.
His comments came after his team’s first home defeat of the season, a bruising 9-5 defeat to the Milton Keynes Lightning in the NIHL Cup. A result which eliminates the Seahawks from the competition for 2024/25.
Going into the game, Hull had secured a vital point on the road against the Swindon Wildcats, after losing 4-3 in overtime at the Better Link Centre.
Swindon led the first period 1-0 through Aaron Nell, an advantage doubled early in the second period thanks to a finish from Chris Jones before Bobby Chamberlain reduced the deficit for the Seahawks, assisted by Lee Bonner and Jamie Chilcot, to take the game into the second period intermission, 2-1.
A Swindon penalty at the start of the third period allowed the Seahawks to call a time out and evaluate their plan for the resulting powerplay.
The pause in play paid off seconds later when the contest was tied by Emil Svec, assisted by Bonner and Owen Sobchak.
As the match entered its final moments, the Wildcats restored their advantage through Josh Shaw. But, as the game drew to a close, a penalty was called against Swindon and presented Hull with the opportunity to pull Dimitri Zimzodra for an extra skater. The resulting 6v4 overload saw Chamberlain score a powerplay equaliser, at 59:01, and force the game into overtime.
Despite hauling themselves back into the match in dramatic style, the result was not to be for the Seahawks as Nell netted his second of the night and secured the additional point for the Wildcats.
With qualification for the next stage of the cup finely poised, the Seahawks needed a victory against the Lightning on Sunday.
It was another fantastic atmosphere at a packed-out Hull Arena, as fans gathered for the club’s Remembrance Sunday fixture and to give thanks to those serving in our armed forces and to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.
Commemorations impeccably observed, the puck dropped, and it was the Lightning who would lay down an early marker through Mack Stewart, at 05:36.
Two minutes later, a penalty was called against Milton Keynes’ Ben Brown, for tripping, and Hull took full advantage of the powerplay with Canadian forward, Johnny Corneil, scoring the equaliser, assisted by Jason Hewitt and Sobchak.
At 08:59, the Lightning restored their lead through James Griffin, but this was short-lived as the Seahawks hit back almost instantly, at 09:14, as Corneil netted his second of the night.
As the first period neared its end, a flurry of two-minute roughing penalties were called against Tim Wallace, of Milton Keynes, as well as Alex Kent and Bonner for the Seahawks. The resulting powerplay saw Mack Stewart score his second of the night to take the Lightning into the first period intermission 3-2 in front.
The second period started well for the Seahawks, with Svec tying the game up with a powerplay finish, at 27:39, and Corneil rounding off his hat-trick, at 28:55, to put Hull in charge for the first time in the game.
However, the Lightning successfully regrouped from this setback and scored three unanswered goals to end the second period, 6-4. The first restored parity, on the powerplay, through Dillon Lawrence. The second from Tom Rutkis saw Milton Keynes go-ahead before Harry Gulliver extended the lead further.
Such was Davies’ concern at the second period collapse, that he made the decision to change goalies – replacing Jordan McLaughlin with Zimozdra.
The third period saw both the game and the Seahawks’ cup hopes slip away, as Milton Keynes made sure of the points thanks to Mack Stewart scoring his hat-trick and then a fourth goal of the match, 8-4.
Jordan Fisher did grab a fifth for Hull, but the pain was compounded with nine-seconds left in the contest as Rutkis netted his second the game and the Lightning’s ninth.
Post-match, Davies apologised to fans for the performance.
“Collectively, as a unit, me included, we weren’t good enough tonight. We were too easily got at and they got way too many shots on us and far too many chances.
“Usually, we dominate matches, and we outshoot teams, even when we lose. That’s what makes tonight so tough.”
With elimination from the NIHL Cup confirmed, Davies has promised fans will see a reaction from his team – starting at home with the Solway Sharks on Sunday (17 November).
“We’ll move on. We have too. But for me, that wasn’t acceptable.
“Our fans deserve success and deserve silverware and I have told the team that we find it, or we change it. It is as simple as that.
“We’ve worked hard to get where we are, on and off the ice, and I won’t let that effort go to waste.
“It is still a bit raw, so I don’t want to say anything in the heat of the moment, but we have lost twice to that team [Milton Keynes Lightning] now and by too many goals.
“We’ve got a good group and we’ve shown, at times, what we can do this year.
“We’ll go away and look at what has gone wrong and work hard in training to correct it.
“The fans will see a reaction from the team next week. No question about it.”
By Mark Bateman
