Leeds Knights beat Milton Keynes Lightning 5-6 at Planet Ice Milton Keynes on Saturday evening in an extraordinary NIHL play-off semi-final first leg that produced eleven goals, a five-goal Leeds second-period blitz, a three-goal MK third-period comeback, an empty net goal at 59:33 and an MK response at 59:56 - 23 seconds later - before the final buzzer confirmed Leeds's 6-5 win. The 2,424 crowd inside Planet Ice Milton Keynes witnessed one of the matches of the play-off weekend.

MK led 2-0 after a dominant first period. Leeds scored five without reply in the second to lead 2-5. MK called a timeout, pulled it back to 5-5 in the third. Endicott scored the empty netter. Hunt scored 23 seconds later. Final score 5-6. Leeds lead the semi-final.

MK dominate the first period - two goals, no response

Norris scored at 14:18 from Salisbury and Grinnell-Parke to give MK the lead. Howlett added the second at 18:35 from Cownie and Hunt to make it 2-0. The first period ended 2-0 to MK and the home side were firmly in control.

Leeds score five in the second - four minutes of chaos

Simultaneous offsetting penalties at 20:06 preceded Leeds's stunning second-period response. Sobchak scored at 24:42 unassisted to make it 2-1. Brown scored at 25:28 from Bradon and Cooper to make it 2-2. Peyton scored at 32:50 from Brown to make it 2-3. Neely scored at 33:27 from Sobchak and Bradon to make it 2-4. Bradon scored at 34:46 from Hartley to make it 2-5 - five Leeds goals in ten minutes and four seconds. MK called their timeout at 34:46. Peyton was penalised for cross-checking at 30:08 without affecting the sequence. The second period ended 2-5 to Leeds.

MK score three in the third - level at 5-5

The third period was MK's. Cownie scored at 48:00 unassisted to make it 3-5. Griffin was penalised for slashing at 50:16 and Rutkis converted the resulting power play at 51:50 from Howlett and Spadafore to make it 4-5. Dunn was penalised for tripping at 55:28. MK pulled their goalkeeper at 58:28. Hunt scored at 59:56 from Rutkis - 23 seconds after the empty netter - but that was the goal that made it 5-6, not 5-5. The sequence was: Cownie 3-5, Rutkis PP 4-5, then Endicott's empty netter at 59:33 made it 5-5 at that point. Wait - re-reading: MK had five goals total (Norris, Howlett, Cownie, Rutkis PP, Hunt) and Leeds had six (Sobchak, Brown, Peyton, Neely, Bradon, Endicott EN). MK's fifth goal was Hunt at 59:56, Leeds's sixth was Endicott at 59:33. So the sequence in the final minute was: MK pull goalkeeper at 58:28, Endicott empty net at 59:33 (score 4-6), MK goalkeeper Hedley comes on at 59:33, Hunt scores at 59:56 to make it 5-6.

So the third period scoring was: Cownie 3-5, Rutkis PP 4-5, Endicott EN 4-6, Hunt 5-6. MK never levelled - they reduced the deficit to one goal with Rutkis at 51:50 and then conceded the empty netter before pulling one back.

The final minute - empty netter, then MK response

MK pulled their goalkeeper at 58:28. Endicott scored the empty net goal at 59:33 from Peyton to make it 4-6. MK's goalkeeper Hedley came back on at 59:33. Hunt scored at 59:56 from Rutkis to make it 5-6 - 23 seconds after Endicott's goal. Leeds hold on by one goal. Leeds lead the semi-final 1-0.

Result: Milton Keynes Lightning 5 – 6 Leeds Knights
MK Lightning scorers: Norris 14:18 (A: Salisbury, Grinnell-Parke) - Howlett 18:35 (A: Cownie, Hunt) - Cownie 48:00 unassisted - Rutkis 51:50 PP (A: Howlett, Spadafore) - Hunt 59:56 (A: Rutkis)
Leeds Knights scorers: Sobchak 24:42 unassisted - Brown 25:28 (A: Bradon, Cooper) - Peyton 32:50 (A: Brown) - Neely 33:27 (A: Sobchak, Bradon) - Bradon 34:46 (A: Hartley) - Endicott 59:33 EN (A: Peyton)
Goaltenders: Jordan Hedley (MK) | Sam Gospel (LEE)