MATCH DETAILS:
Sunday 27th May 2018 – Ice Hockey Summer Classic Cup
Riverside Raiders (Widnes) 14 – Sheffield Ice Tigers 3
Period Scores: 4-1, 4-0, 6-2
Penalties In Minutes: Raiders 20 – Ice Tigers10
Shots On Goal: Raiders 46 – Ice Tigers 25 (8-6, 15-9, 23-10)
Match Officials: Povall / Ormes
The Widnes-based Riverside Raiders team picked up their second win of the Summer Classic Cup competition with a comprehensive 14-3 victory over a short benched Sheffield Ice Tigers team at Planet Ice Widnes on Sunday.
Despite the scoreline, this game was not as one-sided as it appears and was very entertaining throughout. The Ice Tigers gave a very good account of themselves, only tiring through lack of numbers in the latter stages of the game.
The visitors actually took the lead with just 31 seconds gone on the clock with a goal from Kyle Midgley but Anthony Hughes levelled the score for the Raiders just 2 minutes later. Laurence le Vay edged the Raiders ahead on 7 minutes and goals from Hughes, again, and Luke Williams, gave the home side a 4-1 lead at the first break.
The Raiders had a bit more of the play in the second period and unanswered goals from James Kelly, Jack Walker, Hughes and Mike Filek put them 8-1 ahead at the end of the 40 minutes.
The Ice Tigers were visibly tired by the third period, having played all game with less than two full lines and the Raiders, not surprisingly, romped away with the game at this point.
James Kelly scored his second goal of the game on 43 minutes and then Anthony Hughes scored two goals within 23 seconds of each other (his 4th and 5th of the game) around the 46th minute mark to make the score 11-1 to the Raiders.
Mike Teinert scored a 12th goal for the home side on 49 minutes and Ben Donkin made it 13 2 minutes later.
A late rally saw the Ice Tigers score two goals in the closing minutes of the game – Kyle Midgley hitting his second on 56 minutes and Samuel Renshaw with just 64 seconds left on the clock - but a goal inbetween from James Kelly secured his hat-trick and handed the Raiders a 14-3 victory.
The Riverside Raiders are back in action on Sunday 10th June when they play the Flintshire Phantoms away at Deeside. They are next at home on Sunday 17th June when they entertain the Wyre Seagulls in a 4.30pm face off at Planet Ice Widnes.
Report by Paul Breeze
Team Line Ups and Player Stats
Riverside Raiders: Anthony Hughes (5+0), Ben Donkin (1+0, 6PIM), Eemeli Vuorihovi (0+2), Elizabeth Wright, Jack Walker (1+2), James Kelly (3+2), Jordan Birtwistle (0+1), Laurence le Vay (1+2), Luke Williams (1+0), Michael Filek (1+2), Michael Teinert (1+0), Michael Rogers (NM, 60mins - 3 goals SA88.00% ), Nathan Berry (12PIM), Nick Jackson, Rasti Geroc, Ross Holland (0+1, 2PIM), Stephen Harvey
Sheffield Ice Tigers: Daniel Glue (4PIM), David Gorog, Gatis Kubis, James Clarke (NM, 60 Mins SA69.56% ), Joseph Hawnt, Kyle Midgley (2+0), Rory Ross-Docherty, Ruslans Gailitis (2 PIM), Samuel Renshaw (1+1, 4 PIM), Thomas Wright