Magnificent Seven for Dynamos

GILLINGHAM, UK –  The Invicta Dynamos successfully clinched the English National League South title for the seventh consecutive year, after wins over Wightlink and Cardiff this weekend. Coach Kevin Parrish admitted that this season has been the toughest yet for the Kent club with a stark improvement in opposition.

 
The Gillingham based outfit have been a major success story in this league since dropping down from the English Premier league in 2003. With consistent crowds and a sound recruitment policy year on year, Parrish and his back office team can be rightly proud of their efforts, both on and off the ice.
 
With a drop in sponsorship income and also increased competition for players this season, Invicta worked hard during the summer to attract the calibre of players needed, to make a defence of their league crown. Maintaining their solid core, the Mo’s re-signed a large percentage of last season’s double winning squad, adding to key areas of an already strong team.
 
Unbeaten on their own ice for the full year, only slip ups at Bracknell, Cardiff and Chelmsford have denied Invicta a perfect winning record. Such slip ups are often magnified due to their rarity, but it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the Champions.
 
The charismatic David Oliver lasted only a few months before moving back to the EPL with Romford Raiders. The death of former player Andy Martin also rocked the club. The wily Scot was a great player for the team and was still involved coaching the junior teams when he died suddenly at the young age of 40. Fittingly the club will be holding a memorial game at Gillingham Ice Bowl on Sunday 2^nd May to celebrate Andy’s hockey life.
 
Swede Johan Stenvall was gassed after the Mo’s first defeat in Bracknell and replaced by highly rated American Nolan Boike. Boike scored twenty eight goals in his fourteen appearances but then clashed knee’s with Oxford’s Dax Hedges and was ruled out for the rest of the season with injury. This happened after the deadline day and to make matters worse, big strong defence man Ryan Giles was badly hurt in a car crash and told he would miss the league run in and play offs.
 
All have added to Parrish’s emotional state and workload, but he has been lucky that some of his other signings have worked out well. Joe Johnston was a low risk signing, as he has a proven scoring record at this level and goalie Shane Kemp was always going to be capable of sharing duties with Joe White. Nicky Lewis came with a good pedigree having iced with Cardiff and Romford before a spell over in Vancouver. Higher risks came with import forward Peter Vaisenan and defenceman Mike Jones.
 
Vaisenan has been a revelation at the Ice Bowl, with the hard hitting Canadian scoring forty six goals and forty five assists after thirty games. His no nonsense style has endeared him to the Dynamo’s support, who love a battling goal scorer. Jones is a lanky Northern youngster who hails from Manchester. He had spells with Flintshire Freeze before recently appearing in the Turkish Super League for Ankara. Just how super the Turkish league is isn’t very clear, but regardless he has given a good account of himself this year for the Dynamos.
 
Whilst the new boys have made an impression, it is the old guard that gives the Dynamos the depth and intensity to keep winning trophies. Grant Baxter and Anthony Leone offer a high tempo, hard working foil for the more finesse based Elliott Andrews and goal machine Andy Smith. The Lennon brothers, Karl and Anthony complete the jigsaw bringing character and solidity to the team.
 
Mid season signing Mark Williams and Tim Smith bring toughness to the blue line and also act as protection for the Mo’s more high scoring forwards when teams target the Mo’s offensive threat.
 
Victorious Dynamos Captain Karl Lennon was pleased that despite the scares, the team delivered the goods:
 
“We’re absolutely delighted with another league title. Over the last few weeks we have been dealt a bad hand with Boikey (Nolan Boike) being ruled out for the rest of the season and then getting the news about Gilesy (Ryan Giles). It’s testament to the characters we have in this squad to pull together and get the job done. For us that’s one hurdle down, now we will be focusing on finishing the season well and being ready for what’s sure to be a tough playoff run. That’s the next on our list and we won’t be happy unless we make that championship final”
 
The Dynamos now enter the play off stages of the season knowing that the slate is clean for all six qualifying clubs. Can they make it a double?
 
Championship winning squad:
 
Goalies: Shane Kemp, Joe White
Defence: Anthony Lennon, Tim Smith, Mike Jones, Mark Williams, David Oliver, Ryan Giles, Jack Tarczycki
Forwards: Andy Smith, Peter Vaisanen, Nolan Boike, Joe Johnston, Karl Lennon, Grant Baxter, Elliott Andrews, Loyde Fuller, Johan Stenvall, Anthony Leone, Adam Smith, Laurence Billing.
 
Key men 2009/10:
 
Andy Smith #26
 
Local lad and the Dynamos all time top scorer, Smith has impressed yet again with a phenomenal forty two goals so far this season. Possessing both speed and skill, Smith’s small frame belies a tough balance. Commitment issues have been a question mark over his undoubted talent, but this season he has flourished alongside the likes of Lewis and Johnston. One guy who rates Smith is former line mate Nolan Boike who has nothing but good things to say about his former partner in crime: “Andy is a great hockey player that has awesome offensive tools. He makes his line mates better, and the limited time I was able to play with was an exciting time for me on the ice”.
 
Tim Smith #42
 
Criticised in some quarters for his lack of speed and agility last season, Smith has bounced back to become the Dynamo’s best performing defence man. Leaner, fitter and more of an offensive threat, Smith has an impressive twenty five assists already this season. The former Peterborough Islander is also capable of dropping the gloves when needed but has spent most of this year actually playing the game. Team Captain Karl Lennon is full of praise for Smith this season: “Timmy has added a real maturity to his game, a defence man that is calm on the puck breeds confidence in the players in front of him. He likes to see himself as his line’s quarterback and he has proven this with his assists tally”
 
Peter Vaisanen #19
 
Imports shoulder a heavy responsibility in this league and are expected to provide the main burden of goals. Vaisanen has not disappointed in this respect, scoring forty six goals in his debut season. Aside from the goals, his hard hitting style of play and physical nature has ensured the fans support. Vaisanen did not come over to the UK with a particularly strong pedigree so it is a big plus point for Kevin Parrish that the deal has worked out so well for the Dynamos. Team mate Grant Baxter sums up Vas perfectly: “ By far one of the dumbest imports we have ever had but, what you see is what you get. He skates hard, hits hard and has great hands without the ‘I’m the bees knees attitude’ which makes him fit into our team perfectly”
I send my congratulations to the Dynamos and their fans on another title.
Thanks for reading and stay safe.
 
Carrsy
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com