Topsy turvey game sees the home team Tigers victorious
The Raiders headed to Telford to begin their weekend, playing against a team that is fighting for the playoffs alongside them. The stakes were high in this game, and both teams knew that a win for their respective teams would be crucial for the season.
The Tigers took an early lead on the powerplay after George Norcliffe was called for high sticks. The game was end-to-end, with both teams creating chances. The Tigers extended their lead to four, scoring three goals in four minutes, going into the first period break with a comfortable lead, one to forget for Raiders.
The Raiders faced an uphill task going into the second period. With a change of netminder, Matt Smital replacing Ethan James, Raiders began the period fast, scoring within 30 seconds through Adam Laishram.
From this point on, the Raiders fought back, scoring two quick goals through Jake Sylvester on the powerplay after the Tigers’ netminder Brad Day was called for tripping, and Laishram once again, making it a one-goal game.
The Raiders kept piling on the pressure, leading to three more quickfire goals, with both Laishram and Sylvester completing their hat tricks to put the Raiders up 6-4. The momentum was cut short when the Tigers were able to find a fifth with just over a minute remaining in the second period.
The third period began with the Tigers now chasing a lead. Early into the third, they equalized with a bullet slapshot from import Vladimir Luka, which injured Smital in the process, bringing Ethan James back onto the ice.
The Tigers now had the momentum, and with a goal not long after James came back on, the Raiders found themselves behind once again after clawing back a four-goal deficit, Louie Newell the Tigers scorer. In the latter stages of the period, the Tigers sealed the game through Jesse Sutton, who completed his hat trick.
The Raiders fought back incredibly in that second period but could not hold on after taking the lead. The Raiders, having more shots in the end, 41 to 38, did not yield dividends as the Tigers were able to punish the Raiders on those missed chances.
Adam Laishram picked up the man of the match for his hat trick, and for the Tigers, Jesse Sutton, their own hat-trick hero.
Raiders scoring: Adam Laishram 3+1, Jake Sylvester 3+0 Tjay Anderson 0+3, Jack Cooper 0+2, Zack Milton 0+2, Aaron Connolly 0+2, Coy Prevost 0+1
Tigers Scoring: Jesse Sutton 3+0 Vladimir Luka 2+0 Jaden Peca 1+2 James Smith 1+2 Louie Newell 1+1 Harry Ferguson 0+2 Finley Howells 0+2 Thomas Byrne 0+2 Scott McKenzie 0+2 Nick Oliver 0+1 Archie Hazeldine 0+1 Henry Adams 0+1
