Telford Tigers 2 Milton Keynes Lightning 7 - Tigers lose out in EPL play-off final
Telford Tigers missed out on the EPL play-off title losing 7-2 to Milton Keynes Lightning in Coventry.<!--more-->Defeat at the Skydome Arena denied Telford their second double success in three years, after they won the EPL league title in March.
They reached the final courtesy of a 3-2 win over Basingstoke Bison in Saturday’s semi-final.
Telford struggled to impose themselves in the opening exchanges, and were behind after just six minutes.
Lightning forward Blaz Emersic was left unchallenged in the slot and sent his shot high into Baston’s goal.
The goal appeared to give the Tigers a wake-up call and Clarkson went close to equalising just moments later.
The Canadian saw his shot saved at close range by Lightning netminder Przemyslaw Odrobny, following a well-timed pass from Matty Davies on the left wing.
On 14 minutes, however, the county men went further behind.
Craig Scott was the scorer for Milton Keynes, after he benefited from a fine passing move by Emersic and Frantisek Bakrlik, which left Baston exposed.
Telford stepped up the pressure in the second session, but were unable to find a way past the Lightning defence.
They did have the puck in the net earlier in the session, but the net was judged to have left it’s morring.
And the Tigers went 3-0 down on 24 minutes, after Leigh Jamieson’s long-range shot beat Baston to his top-left shot.
Milton Keynes added fourth goal on 35 minutes, when they took advantage of a powerplay to score through Lewis Hook.
Telford added further pressure later in the period, but were caught out on 38 minutes when Bakrlik make the scoreline 5-0 with a breakaway strike.
It wasn’t until the 41st minute that the Tigers opened their account, thanks to Doug Clarkson’s shot through a crowded Lightning goalmouth.
But Bakrlik hit back for Milton Keynes just moments later, as he capitalised on a defensive mix-up from Telford to restore that five goal cushion.
The Tigers added a second powerplay goal of the night at the midway point of the period, when Sam Zajac’s shot from the blue line found its way past Odrobny.
Milton Keynes hit back once again just 60 seconds later, when Craig Scott shot past Baston’s left leg from close range to secure the play-off title.
