MK Lightning closed the gap on EPL leaders Basingstoke Bison to two points after picking up a pair of wins against Guildford Flames.

Markku Tahtinen (above) hit the winner in a 3-2 victory on home ice, while Frantisek Bakrlik grabbed the decider as Lightning won by the same scoreline in the reverse fixture.

Bison endured a miserable weekend, losing 2-1 at home to Sheffield Steeldogs and 5-1 at Telford Tigers.

Jason Silverthorn hit a hat-trick for Telford in their 3-1 home win against Bracknell Bees.

Josh Smith and Vanya Antonov both scored twice for Bracknell in their 6-3 home success against Hull Pirates.

Peterborough Phantoms slipped to a disappointing 5-1 defeat at Hull, but they bounced back on home ice against Manchester Phoenix – Milan Baranyk’s hat-trick goal sealing a 7-6 victory.

Goals by Tomasz Malasinski and Jan Kostal in the final five minutes sealed a 5-3 win for Swindon Wildcats at home to Manchester, but they failed to follow up at Sheffield as they fell to a 4-3 defeat.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Saturday

Basingstoke Bison 1-2 Sheffield Steeldogs
Hull Pirates 5-1 Peterborough Phantoms
MK Lightning 3-2 Guildford Flames
Swindon Wildcats 5-3 Manchester Phoenix
Telford Tigers 3-1 Bracknell Bees

Sunday

Bracknell Bees 6-3 Hull Pirates
Guildford Flames 2-3 MK Lightning
Peterborough Phantoms 7-6 Manchester Phoenix
Sheffield Steeldogs 4-3 Swindon Wildcats
Telford Tigers 5-1 Basingstoke Bison

(Image permission: Tony Sargent)