Bracknell Bees 2-5 MK Lightning

Bees player-coach Dumas suffered a facial injury during the defeat

Milton Keynes Lightning eased past Bracknell Bees to complete back-to-back victories on the opening weekend of the Premier League ice hockey season.

A brace from Finnish import Andre Smulter led MK to a 5-2 win.

Bracknell, defeated 9-0 at Slough Jets on Saturday, were 2-0 down after the first period and never recovered.

Lightning player-coach Nick Poole, whose side beat Guildford Flames 3-2 on Saturday, told BBC Sport he expects a top three finish this season.

Bees, by contrast, need to strengthen quickly after a summer in which efforts to keep the team financially afloat left barely any time for new player-coach Claude Dumas to build a squad.

Co-owner Stuart Robinson told the BBC that reinforcements, particularly in defence, would be swiftly drafted in following the weekend's two resounding defeats, and gave an assurance to fans that funds to strengthen were available.

Bracknell were outclassed by a Milton Keynes side whose performance never exceeded third gear, after Saturday's hectic victory over Flames.

Smulter and Lukas Zatopek appeared to cut through the Bees back line effortlessly, while man-of-the-match Adam Brittle carved out chance after chance.

Bracknell's work rate could not be faulted, even once Dumas had been forced to head off with a facial injury, but the truth is the team currently lacks the talent and experience to compete.

Bees were never within three goals of Milton Keynes in front of an attendance that will have disappointed the home side, and the sense was that Lightning could have stepped up the pace if needed.