Devils held to a draw as Raiders bounce back

Solent Devils were held to a 2-2 draw by London Raiders on Sunday night.
Alex MurrayAlex Murray
Alex Murray

It was a seventh tie of the season for the Gosport club.

The Raiders battled hard to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat to Invicta Dynamos on Saturday night.

While attacking during a power play, the referee awarded a delayed penalty, so Christian Cole made a dash for the bench to get an extra skater on the ice.

Richard Facey celebrates. Picture: Tom BarnettRichard Facey celebrates. Picture: Tom Barnett
Richard Facey celebrates. Picture: Tom Barnett
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This extra pressure gave the Raiders a problem, and Murray took the puck to the goal.

Michael Gray managed to stop the first shot, at which point the ref blew the whistle due to the delayed penalty.

Unfortunately for Murray, as the whistle was blown he got hold of the rebound and got it past Gray, but as the whistle had gone the goal was disallowed.

Early into the second period, Richard Facey bought the puck from neutral ice, along the wing, and after a clever run managed to flick it behind Gray, and into the back of the net.

Richard Facey celebrates. Picture: Tom BarnettRichard Facey celebrates. Picture: Tom Barnett
Richard Facey celebrates. Picture: Tom Barnett
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Raiders quickly managed to equalise, however, as the puck came to Marek Nahlik as he was heading off the ice for a line change.

Nahlik, almost at the door to the Raiders bench, fired it with huge power towards the Devils goal.

The sheer speed meant that almost everyone on the ice missed it, and Cole had no time to react before the puck hit the net.

Next the Devils regained their lead.

With support from brother Mitch, Alex Murray got behind the last defender, and flicked the puck under Gray’s arm, putting the Devils 2-1 up.

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Richard Brown, then took a penalty for the Devils, after he was holding the stick of Veares.

The face off happened in the Devils zone, and while the puck was out at the blue line, Mitch Murray managed to tackle the Raiders offence.

He burst forward but somehow was denied a goal.

The puck hit the post on its way in, but just before it crossed the line, the goal was knocked off its moorings by the sliding defender, and, despite the puck ending up in the net, the goal was subsequently waved off.

The Devils were then penalised and Raiders managed to use their extra man, with Webster feeding Nahlik, who netted for 2-2.

On Saturday, the Devils go to Cardiff (7pm).

They then make the trip to Streatham Redskins on Sunday (6.45pm).

– STEVE BREEN