Milton Keynes Lightning produced one of the most remarkable comebacks of the NIHL season at Dumfries Ice Bowl on Saturday evening, scoring six unanswered goals across the second and third periods to overturn a 4-1 deficit and win 7-5. Janne Jokinen finished with a hat-trick and two assists as MK turned a match that looked lost at the first break into a comprehensive away victory.

Solway Sharks had been in complete control after twenty minutes, leading 4-1 with four different scorers and the crowd behind them. By 57:38 it was 7-5 to the visitors, and Gabaj's empty net goal at 59:30 confirmed one of the most dramatic reversals the Dumfries Ice Bowl has seen this season.

Solway's first period — four goals, complete control

Solway stormed out of the blocks. Yantsis opened at 7:16 from Speirs and Buesa, Stewart doubled the lead at 8:54 from Hamill and Carruth, and despite MK pulling one back through Jokinen on the power play at 15:34 — Gabaj and Martelly assisting, after Stenton's cross-checking at 14:38 — Solway immediately reasserted themselves. Stewart scored his second at 17:07 from Boyd and Thomson, and Beattie added a fourth at 18:25 from Buesa and Speirs, to send Solway into the first break 4-1 up.

MK had spent their power play goal and had little else to show for the period. For Solway, it was a near-perfect twenty minutes.

The second period turns everything

MK began the second period with purpose. Grinnell-Parke pulled it back to 4-2 at 21:03 from Griffin, before the discipline issues that would define the match began to accumulate. Hamill was penalised for interference at 25:26, Okonkwo Prada picked up a 10-minute misconduct for illegal equipment at 27:26 — a costly combination — before Buesa scored at 32:28 from Yantsis and Speirs to restore Solway's three-goal cushion at 5-2.

But MK were not done. Kerr was penalised for hooking at 37:55 — a 0-minute penalty suggesting a warning or minor variant — and Jokinen scored immediately at 37:55 from Howlett and Salisbury to make it 5-3. Boyd and Rutkis then fought at 39:53 — five-minute majors apiece alongside Boyd's additional slashing minor served by Thomson — and MK rode the momentum to close the gap further heading into the third.

The third period — six consecutive MK goals sealed by Gabaj

The third period was MK's entirely. Thomas was penalised for tripping at 42:48, then Gabaj scored unassisted at 45:56 to make it 5-4 — the first time MK had been within one since the opening minutes. Carruth and Lewis fought at 46:10, five-minute majors cancelling each other out, before Buesa was penalised for slashing at 47:40.

Field scored at 56:41 from Howlett and Grinnell-Parke to level at 5-5, Solway called their timeout at 57:38, but Martelly scored immediately from Forsberg and Jokinen to give MK their first lead of the match. Solway pulled their goalkeeper at 58:45, and Gabaj converted the empty net at 59:30 from Jokinen's assist to seal the 7-5 scoreline.

Jokinen's evening — and the shape of MK's turnaround

Jokinen finished with three goals and two assists — hat-trick goals at 15:34, 37:55, and 57:38 (via assist), plus assists on Gabaj's goals at 45:56 (indirect) and 59:30. His involvement in five of MK's seven goals made him the pivotal figure in what was an extraordinary personal and team performance after being four goals down.

For MK, following Friday's 4-3 win over Romford, this is their second successive away win and a result that dramatically improves their fortunes heading into the final weeks. For Solway, a seventh consecutive defeat and a lead of four that simply evaporated — it will be a painful review for a side that did so much right for twenty minutes and so little right for the next forty.

Result: Solway Sharks 5 – 7 Milton Keynes Lightning
Venue: Dumfries Ice Bowl
Attendance: 1,062

Solway Sharks scorers: Yantsis 7:16 (A: Speirs, Buesa) — Stewart 8:54 (A: Hamill, Carruth) — Stewart 17:07 (A: Boyd, Thomson) — Beattie 18:25 (A: Buesa, Speirs) — Buesa 32:28 (A: Yantsis, Speirs)
Milton Keynes Lightning scorers: Jokinen 15:34 PP (A: Gabaj, Martelly) — Grinnell-Parke 21:03 (A: Griffin) — Jokinen 37:55 (A: Howlett, Salisbury) — Gabaj 45:56 (unassisted) — Field 56:41 (A: Howlett, Grinnell-Parke) — Martelly 57:38 (A: Forsberg, Jokinen) — Gabaj 59:30 EN (A: Jokinen)
Goaltenders: Jordan Marr (SOL) | Will Kerlin (MK)