THE Bespoke Guardians Swindon Wildcats head coach Aaron Nell scored his 500th career goal at the weekend as the Link Centre outfit rounded off their regular season with a win and an overtime defeat.

The Wildcats lost 4-3 to Sheffield Steeldogs on Friday night before Nell brought up the extraordinary landmark during a 5-3 success over Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday.

The three-point haul secured second spot for Swindon behind Telford Tigers, while the two play-off groups were locked in courtesy of each team's final league position.

After ending the NIHL National Division campaign in second, the Wildcats will face the Steeldogs and Phantoms once again throughout April as well as seventh-place Basingstoke Bison.

Knowing they needed only to reach overtime in either of their final two games to secured second spot, the Cats made the ideal start in Yorkshire when Emil Svec netted twice in the opening 20 minutes.

Sheffield's Sam Towner halved the deficit on a powerplay around the half-way mark before Alex Graham equalised in the opening seconds of the third period.

Nell wasted little time in scoring his 499th competitive goal for the Wildcats to nudge his team back ahead, however, Swindon were unable to hold on as Jonathan Kirk struck with five minutes remaining on another powerplay.

The inability to see off Steeldog powerplays would ultimately cost the Wildcats as Matt Bissonnette finished a solo effort at 63:25 to see the bonus point remain up north.

Back at the Link Centre on Saturday, Eddie Bebris netted his first goal of the weekend at 16:16 seconds to present Swindon with the lead against Peterborough.

Reminding the Wildcats that it would not be a precession to victory, the Phantoms turned the game on its head through Tom Norton (23:29) and Jasper Foster (25:37) early in the middle period.

Swindon responded positively though as Floyd Taylor levelled the game at two in the 31st minute before scoring again 90 seconds later to wrestle the contest back in the hosts' favour.

Svec gave the Wildcats a cushion with a fourth goal on the powerplay early in the third period, and Nell wrapped up the victory with his 500th goal 103 seconds before the final buzzer went.

The Phantoms had the last laugh with a powerplay goal inside the final minute, but it was Swindon who ran out 5-3 winners.