Milton Keynes Lightning to join ice hockey's Elite League next year

The team currently plays in the English Premier League, where they have advanced to play-off finals weekend in Coventry.

Lightning head coach Pete Russell, who also runs the Great Britain national team, said: "I can't wait.

"I think it's great for the venue, it is a great rink here. The way hockey is going right now this is a really good move for a club which is growing.

"I think we have a real core of top-end Brits and if we can keep them here we will have a really good base to build from."

Elite League chairman Tony Smith added: "We are very pleased that we are expanding the league. This is something that we all feel strongly about and hopefully this isn't the end of the expansion."