Up In The Rafters: Repelling The Raid

SUNDAY 7^th OCTOBER 2018

STREATHAM REDHAWKS VS LONDON RAIDERS

STREATHAM HIGH ROAD

PRE GAME

Coming in to this game, one of the main talking points was just what to call the Raiders, Romford or London? Of course the serious talking points were would the Raiders bounce back from a narrow defeat to Bracknell the night before. If they were to do so it would be without Blahoslav Novak, serving a suspension for a butt ending penalty the night before. There was plenty of talent across the roster though with energy forward Aaron Connolly, who can spark an offence in to life at any moment. And the leagues leading point scorer in Filip Sedivy, who has turned out to be quite a signing given he was a last minute replacement.

The Redhawks meanwhile were coming in to this game on a wave of momentum. Having swatted the Bracknell Bee’s last weekend the Redhawks had silenced the Thunder in a goal fest in MK that saw the team score 7 goals. Among them being Scott Bailey netting his first as a Redhawk, while Alex Roberts continued his points streak. The team would look to build off this momentum and try to chip away at the lead the Raiders had at the start of the night in the league table

1st Period

It would be a cagey start to the game, with the Hawks winning the opening face off. However shortly after, just as with the previous weeks games the Hawks would find themselves hemmed in to their own end. With Connolly and Huska, of the Raiders leading the charge. With the Hawks unable to clear the puck effectively the Hawks soon found themselves in penalty trouble as first James Warman and then Ben Russell were called for Hooking and then delay of game put the Raiders on a 5 on 3 early on

It looked as though the Raiders were going to convert early as a Dan Scott point shot found its way through, only Damien King prevented it finding the net. The ensuing rebound found its way to Scott who tried his luck again only for to sail wide. Matt Turner would find himself with an open net to put the puck in to but it would go wide some how in the melee around the net

However the Raiders fans wouldn’t have to wait long for the conversion, as an errant clearing attempt by Michael Farn would find a waiting Huska at the point, he in turn would get the puck to Scott who’s initial shot while saved would see Aaron Connolly pick up the rebound and fire it high in to the net to make it 1-0 Raiders

In an attempt to get back in the game the Redhawks would force the play the other way with Siagris and Webb looking for a tip shot on Gray but the keeper was equal to this. However this was an exceptional moment in a period of play which saw the Hawks unable to get past the neutral zone with the puck under any sort of control. The usual fluid passing game that had helped the Hawks pull out the wins against MK and Bracknell was not there.

However soon the Hawks would find a way through and the Raiders would find themselves trapped in their own end. At the mercy of the speed of Siagris and Webb again, however for the most part all this did was lead to battles in the corner. Any shots on net were being fired wide or high. Siagris would attempt to even the game on one of his patented up ice rushes. With the puck on his stick courtesy of Farn from the bottom corner the Canadian found himself in alone on Gray. However his attempt to go back hand sailed wide and the score stayed as it was.

Siagris again would then be key in the creation of a chance for Webb. As the two broke in at speed together he would center the puck looking for Webb but again the puck would sail wide as the Redhawks continued to struggle in front of the net. Alex Roberts would then draw a penalty from Liam Chong as he was hooked attempting to get a shot in.

However the resulting power play would yield nothing. With the Hawks kept to the outside and the best chance being a Leigh Jamiesons point blast that would sail just over Grays head. The period would close out 1-0 to the Raiders with the Hawks looking to find someway to spark their offence going in to the second

2nd Period

The Hawks would start the second trapped in their own end again, after a wayward pass off the opening face off saw them called for icing. This would be the catalyst to the Raiders running away with the period. As Farns failed clearance was intercepted by Chong who would feed Huska who would find a waiting Connolly ready to tap it home close range. 2-0 Raiders

The Raiders were now in possession of the worst lead in hockey, at first they decided to sit back. But after this allowed Scott Bailey to go cross crease and cause chaos for shot, with neither Webb or Siagris able to syiff in the rebound the Raiders opted to go all out offensively.

This would pay off at 21:37 as another defensive turnover off a clearing attempt would see the puck intercepted at the point by Sylvester. Sedivy would pass it across to Matt Turner who’s shot would squeak through the screen and under the arm of Damien King to make it 3-0 Raiders.

With a 3 goal lead the Raiders would now let the Hawks in a bit, confident in both the defense and goalie to deal with any threat the Hawks could throw at them. But not even a 5 on 3 power-play with attempts from Jamieson and Roberts could break the force field that seemed to be surrounding Grays net.

In fact the puck luck seemed to have deserted the Red Hawks completely as players fanned on shots, misplaced the puck, experienced puck bounces they weren’t expecting or blew edges while on scoring opportunities. It was one such fanned shot that saw Brandon Aylife release 1 on 1 with King however King was able to pad and cover the puck. Another intercepted clearance then lead to Aaron Connolly getting a good opportunity but again he was denied by King.

The Raiders by this point had parked the bus defensively and were forcing the Redhawks to play dump and chase. 

In an attempt to play through this the Hawks attempted an up and over out of their own defensive end. However the puck was intercepted by Jake Sylvester. He would get the puck out to the boards to Liam Chong. Chong would then feed it to a breaking John Connolly who would make it 4-0 Raiders.

With a 4 goal lead the Raiders went in to an ultra defensive phase of play. Happy to just catch the Hawks on the break. It lead to a period of play were no one could get purchase on the puck through the neutral zone as pass after pass was intercepted.

It seemed the writing could be on the wall at 37:13 after Jamieson was called for boarding and given 2 plus 10. Down a utility player, and about to kill a penalty the Redhawks fans could be forgiven for throwing in the towel at this point. However then something happened that turned the whole game on its head

At around 37:36 Adam Carr attempted to clear the puck up ice on the penalty kill. John Connolly would attempt to intercept the puck at the point only to lose a puck battle with Alex Roberts. The big Canadian would move with speed that was matched by Andreas Siagris as the two broke in 2 on 0 on Gray. Roberts would take aim and snipe the water bottle to make it 4-1 on the night. The shut out was broken and hope was kindled among the fans at the High Road

The period would end 4-1 to the Raiders. But with all the momentum going the Redhawks way as they had spent the final two minutes on the offensive. In my early season review I had talked about turning the High Road in to a fortress. Well at this point the Raiders were in the keep. It was time for the Redhawks to regroup and come up with a plan to take back the fortress.

3rd Period

The opening of the third period would set the tone of the game plan Jermy Cornish had come up with. Now Gray was beatable all that was needed was to get in close. With the neutral zone Raider territory this meant shoot on sight, even if it was from before the blue line. The idea was simple but effective force Gray to make saves and freeze the puck to get face offs. The key factor in all this would be winning those face offs.

Off the first test of the plan the puck would work its way back to Ben Russell who’s blast would be saved by Gray. Keeping the Redhawks in the Raiders end, leading to a sustained period of Hawks pressure. It did look at this point as if the Raiders had shut off, being 4-0 up they seemed to have lost the edge that had put them 4-0 up as they barely made it past the red line at centre ice.

The best chances of this phase of play would see Condren work the puck out of the corner to a waiting Soar in the crease area. However he couldn’t dangle his way past Gray to get that elusive first home goal. Webb Carr and Roberts would then attempt to go tick tack goal from the wing but again the puck was easily sighted by Gray. Condren, Beesley and Soar would try the same, but again Gray would be equal to the challenge.

However the plan seemed to be working, the Hawks now had the Raiders penned in and were generating offense. Not only this but they were getting the bounces they needed with one noteable exception.  But it would finally come when it looked like the curse on the team had struck again. Shooting in Farn found himself having to quickly recover the puck. He would play a hail mary down in to the corner for a waiting Roberts who would sneak it past Gray to a waiting Carr who simply had to tap it home and it was 4-2

With a 2 goal lead the Raiders came back to life, realising they had to go on the attack to restore the lead. In quick succession Aylife, Sedivy and Pitchley would all test King but King said no more on each shot attempt.

The Hawks continued with their game plan of controlling the play through forcing offensive zone face offs. And at 49:15 Julian Smith would end up taking a needless cross checking penalty on Webb. The 5 on 4 would becoe a 5 on 3 seconds later, as Alex Roberts was tripped by a prone Barry as the power forward attempted to out dangle the Raider

The powerplay would go to work using the cycle. Farn would pinch down to the half boards before laying it off to Jamieson. Closing on the net Jamieson would release only to see the puck rebond out, Jamieson would get a second crack at the goal but again Gray seemed to glove the puck. However it came lose and Alex Roberts was on the doorstep to send the Hawks fans in to raptures making it 4-3

Still with Barrys penalty to serve the Hawks powerplay went back to work. This time working the puck down in to Gretzkys office behind the net. Ryan Webb would win a battle in the corner that would see the speedster pass behind the net to a waiting Carr. Carr would then feed the puck back up the boards to Jamieson at the point. Instead of shooting Jamieson goes point to point to Soar who blasts the puck in to the net to tie the game at 4-4

The Raiders instantly looked to respond, once again trapping the Hawks in their own end. And with the pendulum of momentum going the Hawks way, a delay of game penalty against Leaigh Jamieson after he cleared the puck over the glass would see the momentum go back to the Raiders.

However it was the Redhawks, not the Raiders who would capitalize on this oppourtnity. For at least a minute the Redhawks PK frustrated the Raiders power play, clearing pucks and keeping the play to the outside. And then at 54:04 the game changed. With the Raiders unable to gain zonal control Andreas Siagris would intercept the puck at the point and break in alone on Gray. Just as with earlier he would go to his back hand. But this time he was on target sending the puck low past the keepers pad to make it 5-4 Redhawks

Shortly after it looked like the hockey gods were looking to torment the Redhawks further as Jacob Ranson was called for slashing after a heavy hit by Filip Sedivy. However again the Redhawks well drilled penalty kill would keep the puck to the outside lanes. And when shots did get released often they found a body blocking them.

The Redhawks would attempt a few more breaks, most noteably Ranson and Roberts repectively but the game had now become a defensive one for the Redhawks, as they hoped to hold the 1 goal lead. With 41 seconds left on the clock the Raiders pulled Gray for an extra skater

The best chance would come from Aaron Connolly cutting to the inside off a board battle and firing the puck straight in to Kings glove. This was then followed by another point blast by Scott however with 14 seconds left the Redhawks froze the puck by the boards and killed time. As the buzzer sounded the come back was complete and fortress High Road had been retaken.

POST GAME

I don’t know about everyone else, but part of me wishes this team would stop doing this to us. And the other part absolutely loves the drama we have had on the ice these past 3 home games. The opening 2 periods I will not sugar coat, were a nightmare, The Redhawks allowed the Raiders to come in and dictate the play from the start. The Raiders came in with a road game plan and executed it perfectly for 2 periods. As he always seems to do at the High Road Michael Gray stood on his head and was the difference for large parts of the game as he soaked up the barrage being thrown at him. Aaron Connolly and Dan Scott were a constant threat all evening and along with Huska always looked like they could scupper the come back at any moment. This game was there for the taking and instead of working for the win the Raiders went to sleep in the third and snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

For the Redhawks it was a tale of 2 games in 1 tonight. The first two periods aside from Andres Siagris ,the efforts of Ziggy Beesley and Damien King doing all he could to keep the team in it, there wasn’t a whole lot to be cheerful about, Michael Farn in particular seemed to be having a difficult game which was in stark contrast to his man of the match performance the night before. The Redhawks didn't look like a team who had been playing together for a month, players were tripping over each other and not anticipating where team mates would be. What also didn't help in the first 2 periods was the desertion of the teams puck luck as it seemed everything that could go wrong when on the puck did go wrong for Streatham players. 

However the fight back in the Third was an incredible piece of on ice drama, inspired by the efforts of Siagris, Roberts Jamieson and turning it all around Michael Farn. I feel Scott Bailey,Ryan Webb and Josh Condren deserve a mention for their hard work in the third as well. It was also great to see Tom Soar break his scoring duck on home ice, he's been so close in recent weeks so it was good to see his hard work pay off at home.While the others did not get on the score sheet they were constantly generating face offs to allow success of Jeremy Cornishes master plan in the third period. But all in all a 4 point weekend means its a successful weekend. The boys now will have a week to work on things ahead of the visit of Invicta next Saturday.