MK Lightning saw their lead cut at the top of the Planet Ice NIHL National Division after dropping points during Gameweek 18.

Milton Keynes entered the weekend with a four-point cushion at the division’s summit, and although they started the latest round of fixtures with an overtime win at home to Hull Seahawks, defeat at basement side Berkshire Bees following on Sunday.

Below them, Leeds Knights regained second spot with an emphatic four-point weekend.

The Knights thrashed Bristol Pitbulls home and away, scoring 13 goals and conceding just once.

Swindon Wildcats had gone into the latest gameweek second in the standings, but defeat at Hull Seahawks on Sunday – a day after a narrow home win against Sheffield Steeldogs – meant they fell below Leeds by a point.

It proved to be a mixed weekend for the Steeldogs, who, like many of the sides around them, dropped points.

Nevertheless, a 6-4 win at Romford Raiders on Sunday was enough to move them onto 38 points and keep them on the coattails of the sides above.

The big winners of the weekend were Peterborough Phantoms, who climbed two places to fifth after back-to-back wins against Solway Sharks in Dumfries.

Solway still occupy eighth spot in the standings and hold a four-point cushion over Bristol, who came up empty-handed in Gameweek 18.

There was also joy for one of the division’s bottom sides, Telford Tigers, who picked up points in their only game of the weekend, defeating Romford 6-5 on Saturday night.

Results – NIHL National Division

Saturday 11th January Swindon Wildcats 4-3 Sheffield Steeldogs
Saturday 11th January Bristol Pitbulls 0-7 Leeds Knights
Saturday 11th January Milton Keynes Lightning 4-3 (OT) Hull Seahawks
Saturday 11th January Solway Sharks 3-5 Peterborough Phantoms
Saturday 11th January Telford Tigers 6-5 Romford Raiders
Sunday 12th January Solway Sharks 2-3 Peterborough Phantoms
Sunday 12th January Leeds Knights 6-1 Bristol Pitbulls
Sunday 12th January Romford Raiders 4-6 Sheffield Steeldogs
Sunday 12th January Hull Seahawks 4-3 Swindon Wildcats
Sunday 12th January Berkshire Bees 4-2 Milton Keynes Lightning

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Featured photo credit: Tony Sargent

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