Hull Seahawks advanced in the NIHL play-offs with a 3-1 win over Milton Keynes Lightning at Hull Ice Arena on Saturday afternoon, scoring three goals in the first period — including a shorthanded goal at 10:40 while serving a penalty — to establish a lead they never relinquished. MK's play-off exit was confirmed at the buzzer when Spadafore received a 10-minute misconduct for abuse of officials, a fitting if frustrating end to a match that had slipped away from Lightning long before.

Hull had never trailed. They scored on the power play, shorthanded, and on the power play again — all within eight minutes — and MK, despite two fights across the first two periods, couldn't find the resources to claw it back.

A first period that decided everything

The first period opened with a fight at 1:40 — Salisbury (MK) and Hodgkinson (HUL) both picking up five-minute majors — before Gabaj scored for MK at 3:39 from Norris to give Lightning the early lead. Spadafore was penalised for hooking at 4:33, giving Hull their first power play, and Corneil converted at 5:54 from Musil and Švec to level at 1-1.

Švec was then penalised for hooking at 9:36, giving MK a power play. Hull killed it and scored shorthanded — Hewitt converting at 10:40 from Bonner's assist while still a man down. Salisbury was penalised for cross-checking at 11:55, and Švec completed the turnaround at 13:41 on the power play from Hewitt and Hehir to make it 3-1.

Three Hull goals in eight minutes and 47 seconds. A power play goal, a shorthanded goal, and another power play goal. MK had scored first and found themselves two goals behind before the first period was fifteen minutes old. The first break arrived with the match effectively settled.

Second period — a fight, penalties, and no goals

The second period was fiercely competitive but goalless. Kent was penalised for fighting at 24:08 — alongside a charging minor served by Crawley — while Norris received a five-minute fighting major for MK at the same moment. The five-minute majors cancelled each other out. The second period ended 3-1, with both sides unable to convert their power play opportunities despite multiple chances.

Third period — Hull hold comfortably, MK's frustration boils over

The third period saw Kent penalised for delay of game at 40:37 and Saunders for tripping at 52:09. Offsetting roughing calls on Lewis (MK) and Hewitt (HUL) at 57:31 cancelled each other. Stubley was penalised for interference at 57:37. MK pulled their goalkeeper at 59:15 and called a timeout at 59:22 with 38 seconds left and the score at 3-1. They couldn't score. Spadafore then picked up a 10-minute misconduct for abuse of officials at the 60-minute mark as the final buzzer sounded, ending MK's play-off with an unnecessary postscript.

Heiskanen in the Hull goal was excellent throughout, conceding only Gabaj's early goal and dealing cleanly with MK's best moments in the second and third periods. Hedley had a difficult afternoon in the MK goal, beaten three times in the first period before having relatively little to do afterwards.

Result: Hull Seahawks 3 – 1 Milton Keynes Lightning
Hull Seahawks scorers: Corneil 5:54 PP (A: Musil, Švec) — Hewitt 10:40 SHG (A: Bonner) — Švec 13:41 PP (A: Hewitt, Hehir)
Milton Keynes Lightning scorers: Gabaj 3:39 (A: Norris)
Goaltenders: Aleksanteri Heiskanen (HUL) | Jordan Hedley (MK)