The visitors started out hot on Saturday night. With two goals scored in the first seven minutes of play and a 4-1 halftime lead, the Demon Hawks seemed poised to notch another victory at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse.
But your Raptors were not to be denied, reeling off an amazing six goals in the fourth period to come from behind and down the Demon Hawks 8-6. For the second game in a row, midfielder / defender Pat Kelly netted a hat trick, with his third goal -- an empty netter in the final minutes of play -- sealing the win for the hometown team.
Ayo Adebayo, Jonah Dancer, and Ronaldo Rojas were stellar on offense as well. Rojas sparked the furious fourth quarter rally with nifty solo move, and added another off Dancer's pass just three minutes later. Adebayo tied the game via a beautiful feed from new acquisition Paco Gonzalez, and Dancer helped ice the game, assisted by a sweet pass from David Lapan-Islas, who also assisted on Kelly's hat trick goal.
Ayo Adebayo discusses his performance at a postgame interview at Cliff's Dive Bar and Grill
"It was a tough fight," said head coach Curt Lewis after the game. "But we made the adjustments we needed to make, and we look forward to getting out there tomorrow."
Head Coach Curt Lewis on Saturday night's action
Saturday night marked the debut of several Raptors: Forward Will Davis, who added a much-needed insurance goal late in the fourth quarter; defenseman Gonzalez; and goaltender Brett Petricek.
The victory was Petricek's triumphant return to Cedar Rapids. A standout with the Cedar Rapids Rampage of MASL1, Petricek faced a hot Demon Hawks attack and made several spectacular saves.
GK Brett Petricek on his performance Saturday night
Your Raptors are back in action today at the Powerhouse, versus the Demon Hawks. It's our military, teachers, and bankers appreciation day, and we'd love to see you there! Get your tickets at the Powerhouse box office or online. Kickoff is at 2:00pm; gates open at 1:30.
For more news, features, and in-depth analysis, be sure to check the Raptors Report section of the team website, and follow us on Twitter: @iaraptorsreport. We'll see you at the Powerhouse!