Milton Keynes Lightning Vs Romford Raiders 12th September 2009

Milton Keynes Lightning 7 Romford Raiders 2 (2-1 : 3-0 : 2-1)

Romford opened the 2009/2010 season with a challenge game defeat to Milton Keynes on Saturday night. Both teams were at full strength for the game.

Dallas Costanzo forced Barry Hollyhead into an early save, but it was the Lightning that got the first goal, at 1.45. A poor clearance from the zone fell straight to Michael Wales, who skated in and beat Euan King with a low shot. Romford hit back with a spell of pressure on the Lightning net, with Hollyhead blocking 3 consecutive shots to keep his side in front. However, the home side doubled their advantage at 7.06, when Ross Bowers was left unmarked in front of the net, and when he was picked out by Andre Smulter, he slammed the puck home. Bowers quickly found himself in the bin for interference, and Romford very nearly got on the scoreboard. A nice pass from behind the net from Darren Cotton found Danny Marshall but his shot slid millimeters wide of the post. Grant McPherson was the next player to visit the sin bin, for hooking, and this time Romford did score. Ryan Giles slid the puck along the blueline to Jon Sitko, and the Canadian defenceman sent a one-time effort into the back of the net, at 12.55. Lightning fell foul of a new rule banning line changes after an icing, and were called for a bench minor, but Romford were unable to tie the game before the end of the period.

Milton Keynes moved 3-1 ahead at the start of the second period, as Matt Towalski sent in a shot from the right face off circle, that flew past the un-sighted King, and into the top of the net. Michal Palik was called for delaying the game, less than a minute later, but Romford's penalty kill worked well, and there was no further scoring. Costanzo was the next Raider in the bin, as he reacted to an unpunished elbow, and was called for roughing. This time the home side did make the extra man count, as Smulter sent a pass across the net for Monir Kalgoum, who took the puck round King to score. The same players combined to make it 5-1, at 37.51, as Smulter's shot rebounded from King's pads, and Kalgoum converted the rebound.

Again Romford conceded early in the third period, as Nick Poole broke through the Romford defence and found Adam Brittle, who scored at 44.49. Another bench minor on Milton Keynes, this time for too many men on the ice, allowed Romford to get their second of the night. A lovely cross ice pass from Kamil Vavra, found Costanzo on the left, and he tipped the puck home, at 47.45. The Lightning had the last laugh, as they made it 7-2, at 52.12, when a long shot from Lukas Zatopek squeezed between the post, and King's pad.

Man of the match for Romford went to Sitko, with 2-goal Kalgoum taking the home side beers.