Raiders losing their way?

ISLE OF WIGHT, UK – The Wightlink Raiders returned to home ice in confident mood after winning on the road on the previous two weekends. A tough 4-2 win at the Oxford Stars was followed up by an 11-0 rout of the struggling Peterborough Islanders. The visit of the reigning ENL1 South champions the Invicta Dynamos promised to be the Raiders toughest home test to date and would provide a barometer of the teams standing against the best the league had to offer. Sadly for the Raiders this was a match they would rather forget as the visitors left the Ice Cube comfortable 8-4 victors. The Raiders started the match brightly and dominated the opening 10 minutes of the first period but then ran into penalty trouble and Johan Stenvall opened the scoring for the visitors on the powerplay at 11:29. The lead was doubled again on the powerplay by Jack Tarczycki before the Dynamos moved out of sight with a fine team goal scored by captain Karl Lennon. The Raiders rallied after the period break but the fast skating champions never allowed the home team back into the match. Counters from player coach Jeremy Cornish were matched by two from Nicky Lewis. In the final period the Raiders kept plugging away but the Dynamos always seemed a step ahead. Lewis completed his hat trick  before Cornish matched that feat two minutes later. Karl Lennon extended the visitors lead again before John Sarno then scored with a penalty shot. Referee Rene Ross appeared to disallow a Raiders goal in order to award the penalty. However it transpired that the puck had been covered by a Dynamos defender in the crease and not actually entered the net. Peter Vaisenen completed the scoring on 58:31. The following day things went from bad to worst as the Raiders visit to Haringey was postponed due the Raiders kit van being directed to the wrong London Palace and then getting lost in the London traffic. The Greyhounds delayed the face off for as long as possible but the kit never made it to the rink and the Raiders were forced to concede the game. All in all a dreadful weekend for the Raiders who return to home ice next weekend hoping to get back to winning ways against the struggling Milton Keynes Thunder. Contact the author Dave.Logan@Prohockeynews.com