Comeback win keeps Raiders streak alive

ROMFORD, UK – Romford Raiders secured their 12th consecutive league victory on Saturday afternoon, ousting the MK Thunder in a 6-2 come-from-behind victory at Rom Valley Way. The visitors, missing Ross Bowers and first-choice goaltender Mark Woolf from their line-up, had a point to prove after watching a severely depleted bench suffer a 7-0 defeat at RVW just two weeks ago. Powerplay goals by David Coffey and Tom Mboya edged the Thunder ahead by two inside the opening ten minutes, before Juraj Huska’s back-post rebound — his 39^th goal of the season — laid the foundation for a six-goal Raider surge. Both sides lost influential players during a prolonged first forty minutes; Import forward Maros Stefanco was stretchered from the ice following a big hit by Raiders defenceman Tyrone Miller, whilst Frankie Harvey left the game after blocking a ferocious slap-shot at close range. Jake Scriven, too, was replaced for the Thunder, 6’7” David Cassidy making his ENL debut in the MK net. The break seemed to settle the Raiders though. Jason Buckman’s takeaway wrister clattered against the crossbar before Danny Marshall cashed in on a rebound after Cassidy had scrambled to deny both Huska and Anthony Leone. Marshall and Huska would combine on an odd-man rush for a shorthanded go-ahead goal two minutes later, before captain Leone picked up the scraps following Cassidy’s stop on Huska’s partial breakaway, his 28^th of the season stretching the Raiders lead to three soon after. Both sides had attempted to assert themselves physically throughout the game, Billy Phillips and Harrison Goode’s long-running frustrations spilling over in to a one-sided fight against the far boards. Phillips subsequently received 2+2 for roughing and a game penalty for misconduct, Goode sitting ten for incitement. A rash of third period penalties gave the Thunder every opportunity to make a fist of it, but the Raiders penalty kill stood firm. AJ Smith bore the brunt of a questionable tripping call midway through the period, whilst Huska too sat a rare minor call late in the game. With the teams back to even strength, Buckman and Tom Davis combined for the final goal of the night. Davis calmly slotted home after patient work by Buckman to setup a perfect cross-ice pass to the far post, Cassidy marooned at the near-side. A decisive character check for the Raiders after finding themselves in a position none too familiar to them this season. One they ultimately passed with reasonable ease. Contact the author – alex.nunn@prohockeynews.com