Swindon Wildcats have mixed opening weekend of the season

The Swindon Wildcats got their 2017-18 season underway in perfect fashion, as they overcame the Milton Keynes Thunder 4-3 at the Link.

The Wildcats needed penalties, however, as the score was locked at 3-3 after the regulated three periods and overtime.

MK took the lead at 8:10 when Rio Grinnell-Parke scored from Jamie Line's assist and that was the solitary goal of the first period.

Head Coach Aaron Nell levelled proceedings with a powerplay goal at 20:26 after he was assisted by Sam Zajac and Jan Kostal.

The Thunder retook the lead at 26:28 through Ross Bowers with Line producing another assist but again the Wildcats hit back, Zajac hitting the net this time following assists from Nell and Phil Hill.

Before the second period was out though, the Thunder had the lead for a third time as Line turned scorer with an unassisted goal.

Sam "Bully" Bullas dragged the Wildcats level yet again at 51:19 with Nell assisting again as well as Ben Nethersell.

Chris Jones was the only man to score his penalty as Grinnell-Parke, Bowers and Line all missed for the Thunder while Kostal and Nell were denied for Swindon.

Sunday was a similar story in the fact that the Wildcats had to play overtime again, but this time they were on the wrong side of the result against the Invicta Dynamos.

Ondrej Zosiak opened the scoring at 12:44 when assisted by Mason Webster and Callum Fowler before Zajac made it 1-1 at 19:35 after he was assisted by Kostal and Luc Johnson.

Bullas made it 2-1 to the away side at 35:47 with Nethersell and Nell registering assists on that occasion but Callum Fowler made it 2-2 in the third period.

Bobby Chamberlain secured the OT win for the hosts at 60:09 and the Wildcats had to settle for a three-point weekend.