Milton Keynes Lightning facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milton Keynes Lightning |
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City | Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire |
League | NIHL |
Division | National League |
Founded | 1st franchise 2002, 2nd franchise 2019 |
Home arena | Planet Ice Arena Milton Keynes |
Colors | Black, Grey & Gold |
Owner(s) | Let's Play Hockey Consortium |
Head coach | Tim Wallace |
Captain | James Griffin ![]() |
Affiliates | Milton Keynes Thunder Milton Keynes Storm |
Franchise history | |
2002–2019, 2019–present | Milton Keynes Lightning |
The Milton Keynes Lightning is an ice hockey team from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The team was first started in 2002 and then again in 2019.
The Lightning currently plays in the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL), which is Britain's second-highest professional league. They have been in this league since the 2019–20 season. Before that, the team played in the top-tier Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) from 2017 to 2019. They also spent many years in the English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) from 2002 to 2017.
The team's home is the Planet Ice Arena Milton Keynes, which can hold 2,200 fans. Locals often call it the MK Arena or the Thunderdome.
Contents
Club History
How the Team Started
The Milton Keynes Lightning team began in 2002. They took the place of another local team, the Milton Keynes Kings. The Kings had left Milton Keynes after a disagreement with the arena operators.
Early Success (2002–2006)
When ice hockey in the UK was reorganized, the Lightning became a founding member of the new Elite Ice Hockey League. However, they played in the lower English Premier Ice Hockey League. The first Lightning team had many young local players and some international players.
In their very first season, they finished second in the league. They then won the playoff final against Peterborough Phantoms. A strong rivalry quickly grew between these two teams. The Lightning became league champions in 2003–04 and 2004–05. They also won the playoffs until 2006, showing how dominant they were.
Tough Seasons (2006–2008)
The 2006–07 season was harder for the Lightning. They struggled because some key players left and other teams improved. They finished fifth in the league and were knocked out of the playoffs early. The next season, 2007–08, was even tougher, with the team finishing sixth. This led to many changes in the team for the next year.
Back to Winning (2008–2010)
For the 2008–09 season, the Lightning brought in experienced players and new international talent. After a slow start, the team played very well in the second half of the season. They finished second behind Peterborough. They met Peterborough again in the playoff final, but this time Peterborough won.
In the 2009–10 season, the Lightning became the team to beat. They added more strong players, including netminder Alex Mettam. They won the EPIHL league trophy in March 2010, bringing it back to Milton Keynes.
Close Calls and Challenges (2010–2015)
The 2010–11 season was inconsistent, and the Lightning finished fifth. They lost the playoff final to Guildford Flames. The 2011–12 season was similar; they led the league in December but finished fifth again. They lost in the playoff quarter-finals.
The 2012–13 season brought big changes. A key player, Adam Calder, had a career-ending injury. Then, in January 2013, team legend Nick Poole suddenly retired from playing. The team finished fourth and lost in the playoff semi-finals.
In 2013–14, the team had to play their home games in Coventry because the Milton Keynes rink was being renovated. This made it hard for the team to practice consistently. Despite this, they finished a respectable fourth and were runners-up in the cup.
The 2014–15 season also started with games in Coventry. The team struggled early on. The Milton Keynes rink was finished a month into the season. The first game back home was on October 18, 2014, in front of a huge crowd. Even with their return home, the team continued to struggle and finished seventh, their lowest position ever. However, they still made it to the playoff semi-finals.
New Management and Partnerships (2015–2017)
After the 2014–15 season, Nick Poole became the General Manager, and Peter Russell took over as head coach. In May 2015, the Lightning announced a partnership with the Coventry Blaze, an Elite League team. This partnership lasted one season. The team also changed its colors to white, black, and blue.
The 2015–16 season saw a small improvement, with the team finishing fifth. They reached the Play Off final but lost to Guildford Flames. At the end of the season, it was announced that the Milton Keynes Lightning would join the Elite Ice Hockey League starting in the 2017–2018 season.
In November 2016, Nick Poole stepped down as General Manager. The Lightning finished second in their final EPL season. On March 18, 2017, they won their first EPL cup in a penalty shootout against Peterborough. They also won their fifth playoff title, beating Guildford and then Telford in the final.
Elite League Hockey (2017–2019)
The Milton Keynes Lightning officially joined the Elite Ice Hockey League for the 2017–2018 season. The team also got new owners, Graham and Monica Moody. Their first season in the Elite League started well, but poor away games led to them being near the bottom of the table. Coach Peter Russell left the club in February 2018 and was replaced by Doug McKay. The team finished 11th and missed the playoffs.
The 2018–19 season also started poorly, with the team at the bottom of the league. Doug McKay left in November 2018. Players Ryan Lannon and Tim Wallace took over coaching, with Wallace becoming the sole coach in January 2019. In March 2019, it was announced that the Lightning would leave the Elite League. They would play in the new National Hockey League (NIHL) from the 2019–2020 season. This move back to the second tier was for financial reasons. The team finished 11th again.
Supporters Take Over (2019–2022)
After leaving the Elite League, Lewis Clifford was named Head Coach for the new NIHL National league. However, before the season started, there were problems with unpaid wages and debts from the previous owners. Many sponsors stopped supporting the club.
The arena operators, Planet Ice, decided to give the team's contract to a group of supporters called 'Lets Play Hockey'. This group had formed to try and keep the team going. The English Ice Hockey Association confirmed that the team, now run by the supporters, was accepted into the new NIHL National League. Lewis Clifford remained the coach, and the team kept the Milton Keynes Lightning name. The 2019–20 season ended early because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the team in sixth place.
Due to the pandemic, the 2020–21 season was delayed. The Lightning played in a special Streaming Series in November 2020. Full league action returned for the 2021–22 season. The team played well but couldn't find the consistency needed to win the title, finishing fifth. After losing in the playoff final, Lewis Clifford stepped down as coach and general manager. Player/Director of Hockey Development Tim Wallace returned for his second time as Player/Coach.
Arena Redevelopment
In March 2013, the Milton Keynes Council approved plans to rebuild the Leisure Plaza, where the arena is located. This project was funded by Morrisons Supermarkets and took 17 months to finish. Because of this, the Lightning had to play their home games in Coventry during the 2013–14 season and part of the 2014–15 season. The team returned to the newly named "MK Arena" on October 18, 2014. The game against Sheffield Steeldogs was sold out, with over 2,500 fans attending.
Club Honours
- EPIHL League: 3
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- Winner (3): 2004, 2005, 2010
- Runner-up (3): 2003, 2009, 2017
- EPIHL Playoffs: 5
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- Winner (5): 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2017
- Runner-up (3): 2009, 2011, 2016
- EPIHL Cup: 1
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- Winner (1): 2017
- Runner-up (4): 2003, 2007, 2010, 2014
- NIHL Playoffs: 1
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- Winner (1): 2025
- Runner-up (1): 2022
- NIHL Cup: 1
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- Winner (1): 2024
- Runner-up (0)
Team Roster (2022–2023)
Netminders | ||||||||||
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No. | Nat. | Player | Catches | Date of birth | Place of birth | Acquired | ||||
1 | ![]() |
Jordan Hedley | L | 7 August 1996 | Walsall, England | 2022 from Coventry Blaze | ||||
31 | ![]() |
Daniel Crowe | L | 16 December 2003 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 2022 from Nashville Spartans (USA) |
Defencemen | ||||||||||
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No. | Nat. | Player | Shoots | Date of birth | Place of birth | Acquired | ||||
3 | ![]() |
Tyler Nixon | R | 26 July 2001 | Rotherham, England | 2021 from Sheffield Scimitars | ||||
5 | ![]() |
Ben Russell | R | 24 March 1994 | Milton Keynes, England | 2019 from Streatham IHC | ||||
15 | ![]() |
James Griffin | R | 8 April 1993 | Swindon, England | 2015 from Coventry Blaze | ||||
19 | ![]() |
Leigh Jamieson | R | 30 July 1985 | Milton Keynes, England | 2019 from Streatham IHC | ||||
21 | ![]() |
Ross Green | R | 19 February 1992 | Chelmsford, England | 2019 from Milton Keynes Thunder | ||||
25 | ![]() |
Ed Knaggs | L | 13 June 1998 | Hemel Hempstead, England | 2020 from Bracknell Bees | ||||
33 | ![]() |
Milique Martelly | L | 5 June 2004 | London, England | 2021 from Streatham IHC | ||||
39 | ![]() |
Sam Russell | R | 10 August 2000 | Milton Keynes, England | 2019 from New England Wolves (USA) | ||||
66 | ![]() |
Lewis Christie | R | 30 August 1989 | Edinburgh, Scotland | 2019 from Free Agent |
Forwards | ||||||||||
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No. | Nat. | Player | Shoots | Date of birth | Place of birth | Acquired | ||||
7 | ![]() |
Deivids Sarkanis | L | 7 November 1994 | Riga, Latvia | 2022 from HK Mogo (Latvia) | ||||
8 | ![]() ![]() |
Liam Stewart | L | 4 September 1994 | London, England | 2019 from Skycity Stampede (New Zealand) | ||||
10 | ![]() |
Bobby Chamberlain | R | 16 March 1995 | Hull, England | 2020 from Hull Pirates | ||||
11 | ![]() |
Callum Field | R | 3 August 2004 | Northampton, England | 2020 from Sheffield Steelhawks JIHC | ||||
12 | ![]() |
Zaine McKenzie | R | 20 August 2003 | Coventry, England | 2022 Bees IHC | ||||
14 | ![]() |
Hallden Barnes-Garner | R | 28 February 1998 | Milton Keynes, England | 2019 from Milton Keynes Thunder | ||||
16 | ![]() ![]() |
Mack Stewart | L | 18 August 2004 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | 2022 from Belfast Giants | ||||
23 | ![]() |
Jack Hopkins | R | 8 May 2004 | Nottingham, England | 2022 from Nottingham Panthers | ||||
28 | ![]() |
Tim Wallace | R | 6 August 1984 | Anchorage, Alaska, USA | 2022 from Free Agent | ||||
86 | ![]() ![]() |
Sean Norris | R | 14 September 1999 | Ascot, England | 2021 from Basingstoke Bison | ||||
89 | ![]() |
Rio Grinell-Parke | L | 25 February 1999 | London, England | 2022 from Raiders IHC | ||||
98 | ![]() |
Sam Talbot | R | 10 April 2001 | England | 2021 from Basingstoke Bison |
Team Records
Most Games Played
These players have played the most games for the Milton Keynes Lightning (up to the end of the 2022 season).
Top Points Scorers
These players have scored the most points (goals + assists) for the Milton Keynes Lightning (up to the end of the 2022 season).
Top Goal Scorers
These players have scored the most goals for the Milton Keynes Lightning (up to the end of the 2022 season).
Top Goal Assists
These players have made the most assists (helping teammates score goals) for the Milton Keynes Lightning (up to the end of the 2022 season).
Retired Numbers
Some players have been so important to the team that their jersey numbers have been retired. This means no other player on the team will wear that number again.
Head Coaches
Here are the head coaches who have led the Milton Keynes Lightning team.
Club Captains
These players have served as the team captain for the Milton Keynes Lightning.
Captain | ||||||||||
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Nat. | Captain | Active Seasons as Captain | Acquired | |||||||
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Dwayne Newman | 2002–2007 (Career with club 2002–2007 inclusive) | 2002 from Solihull MK Kings | |||||||
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Gary Clarke | 2007–2009 (Career with club 2002–2009 & 2010–2011) | 2002 from Basingstoke Bison & 2010 Guildford Flames | |||||||
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Adam Carr | 2009–2017 (Career with club 2003–2017 inclusive) | 2003 from Isle of Wight Raiders | |||||||
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Kevin King | 2017–2018 (Career with club 2017–2018) | 2017 from Rapaces de Gap | |||||||
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Tim Wallace | 2018–2019 (Career with club 2018–2019 & 2022) | 2018 from Sheffield Steelers | |||||||
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Russell Cowley | 2019–2022(Career with club 2019–2022) | 2019 from Basingstoke Bison | |||||||
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Lewis Christie | 2022– (Career with club 2008-2017 & 2019–) | 2019 from Free Agent |
Season-by-Season Results
This table shows how the Milton Keynes Lightning performed each season.
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Other Teams
The Milton Keynes Lightning is connected to these other ice hockey teams:
- Milton Keynes Thunder
- Milton Keynes Storm