Sport · Swindon
Swindon Wildcats force shootout in high-stakes home clash
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
The Swindon Wildcats secured a point after mounting a spirited second-half comeback against the Romford Raiders at the Better Link Centre.
The Swindon Wildcats showed impressive resilience on Saturday night, fighting back from a two-goal deficit to earn a point in a thrilling 5-4 shootout loss against the Romford Raiders.
Playing in front of 1,438 supporters at the Better Link Centre, the Wildcats opened the scoring early when Liam Fraser found the back of the net after just 31 seconds. However, the momentum shifted quickly in the visitors' favour. Romford’s Jake Sylvester levelled the game at 4:12, followed by goals from Jack Cooper and Barret Kirwin, which left Swindon trailing 3-1 by the 10-minute mark.
Caden Villegas reduced the deficit for the hosts at 10:28, bolstered by an assist from Ben O’Connor, who marked his return to the ice following a lengthy absence due to a knee injury. Despite this, the Raiders regained their two-goal cushion at 30:32 through a goal from Joe Tomalin.
As the game entered its final stages, the Wildcats refused to concede the match. Villegas struck again at 47:03 with a precise slapshot into the top corner, and Matthew Vermaeten completed the comeback at 48:51 to level the score at 4-4, again assisted by O’Connor.
With neither side able to break the deadlock during overtime, despite significant saves from Swindon goalkeeper Renny Marr and Romford’s Cole Ceci, the contest was decided by a shootout. Barret Kirwin ultimately scored the decisive goal for the Raiders, claiming the extra point for the visitors.
For the Wildcats, the return of O’Connor provided a notable boost, with the defenceman contributing two assists in his first appearance since his injury last season.
Source: Swindon Advertiser - Ice Hockey · View original