Storming success for Raiders but Cats lose
GRIMSBY STORMERS .............................. 8 RIVERSIDE RAIDERS............................. 10
THE Widnes -based Riverside Raiders maintained their impressive flawless start to the Puckstop.com Summer Classic competition with an entertaining 10-8 win at Grimsby Stormers on Saturday.
The Grimsby rink is under threat of closure and it was only due to the facility being granted a six-month reprieve while alternative funding options are being explored that this game was able to go ahead at all.
It was originally expected that all of the Stormers’ games would have to be played away for double points.
As it was, the home team were quickest out of the blocks and raced to a 3-0 lead by the 15th minute.
A powerplay goal from the Raiders’ Elizabeth Wright almost dead on 18 minutes gave the Widnes side hope of an early comeback and then two quick goals in the last 60 seconds of the period – from Owen Tennant and Sam Plant – tied the scores going into the first break.
The second period was as entertaining as the first with plenty of shots on both goals and an early goal from Thomas Yates edged the Raiders ahead.
That lead lasted barely five minutes before the Stormers levelled the score but then goals from Wright, Tennant and Yates again put the visitors in a commanding position.
However, a strike in between from the Stormers and another in the dying seconds of the period pulled the score back to 7-6 with plenty still to play for in the remaining 20 minutes.
Two goals within seconds of each other around the 45 minute mark – scored by Yates and Geraint Evans – put the Raiders comfortably in front again but two quick goals back for Grimsby put Widnes hearts in mouths as a late fightback still looked distinctly possible.
However, a shorthanded goal from captain Lewis rounded off the scoring for the game and the Raiders came away with an important 10-8 victory.
The Raiders remain top of the Pucktop.com Summer Classic league table with six points from their opening three games with Geraint Lewis topping the scoring charts with 7+1. ● The Riverside Raiders are back at ● home this Sunday when they play the return fixture against Grimsby Stormers at Silver Blades Widnes. Face-off is at 4.30pm and admission is free of charge. WIDNES WILDCATS ................................. 2 BLACKBURN FALCONS ........................... 8
THE Widnes Wildcats put in a battling performance in their Summer Cup game at Silver Blades Widnes on Sunday but unfortunately ended up on the wrong end of an 8-2 scoreline at the hands of the Blackburn Falcons.
While the defeat may be disappointing, the Wildcats can take heart from the fact that they were up against a team bristling with former Blackburn Hawks and Blackburn Eagles / Lancashire Raptors national league players and that, despite the final score, they actually matched them play for play for extended periods of the game.
As it turned out, the Wildcats actually took the lead after just 80 seconds after the puck took an unfortunate deflection off a Blackburn player’s skate and looped past the netminder into the goal.
The lead lasted until the ninth minute when the Falcons’ mounting pressure eventually paid off and they went on to score two more quick goals to lead 3-1 by the 12th minute.
The Wildcats called a 30-second time out following this and it helped break up the Falcons’ momentum and give the home side chance to reorganise.
They held firm for a good five minutes and were only caught out at the back when pushing up for a second goal while on a powerplay, leaving the score at the end of the first period at 4-1 to the visitors from Lancashire.
The second period started badly for the Wildcats and three more goals put the Falcons 7-1 ahead by the mid-point of the game.
Things began to get a bit physical and a Falcons’ player was sent to the penalty box. The Wildcats were pushing forward to make the most of their man advantage when the puck took an unfortunate ricochet off a player’s stick and flew into the crowd.
The match officials – who, otherwise, did a very good job all game – mysteriously decided to call the Wildcats’ player for “delaying the game”.
It was somewhat unclear as to why they might have thought that a player from a team that was losing 7-1 and was on the attack on a powerplay might suddenly choose the delay the game but he was duly banished to the penalty box, thus denying the home team the man advantage.
This incident provoked a notable phase of the game where the Wildcats were constantly under pressure and kept picking up minor penalties while trying to keep the Falcons at bay. They were forced to play three against five for the next five minutes or so and actually seemed to fare better while sitting back and concentrating on defending.
The Falcons thought they had scored again on 32 minutes but the goal was disallowed as it had come from a high stick and, once the various Widnes penalties had elapsed, they managed to get on the scoresheet again themselves to make the score 7-2.
The last five minutes of the second period were goalless and it took right up until the 55th minute of the game before the goal lamp was lit again – with Blackburn scoring their first goal since the 28th minute and rounding off the action for the match. ● The Widnes Wildcats’ next game is on Sunday, May 28 when they face Solihull Vikings at Silver Blades Widnes. It is a later than normal face off time – 8.30pm – because of the Riverside Raiders game against Sheffield beforehand which faces-off at 4.30pm. Admission to both games is free of charge. ● THE format for the 2017-18 season has been agreed for the NIHL North section. The applications from Hull Pirates, Sheffield Steeldogs and Telford were accepted and they take their place in NIHL North Division One next season.
Sutton Sting have requested that they be relegated to Division Two, this was accepted at the meeting. Nottingham Lions have been promoted to Division One for the 2017-18 season. Widnes Wild will take their place in the NIHL North Two (Laidler) Division and will play 36 matches in the campaign against the following sides: Altrincham Aces, Blackburn 2, Bradford Bulldogs, Coventry Blaze, Deeside 2, Hull Jets, Sheffield Senators, Sutton Sting and Telford 2.
The season will begin on weekend of 2/3 September and is scheduled to end over the weekend 7/8 April.