LONDON, UK – With the league title ready to be lifted before Valentines Day, the NIHL South had an air of resignation around it, aside from a happy Chelmsford camp who were waiting for the clock to tick down to glory.
Photo by Ian Snoding
The temporary ice rink in Slough moved closer to its opening on the 10 February. Slough isn’t exactly a mecca of entertainment and a browse of the ‘Best things to do in Slough’ on Tripadvisor is an interesting read.
Number four is actually a travel company based in the town offering private day tours. A typical itinerary includes a walking tour of Jets legend Warren Rost’s favourite cafes plus a newt spotting trip along the beck that runs behind the old Montem lane site. Well that’s what they could offer, but they don’t even do tours of Slough, they specialise in day trips in Nepal and India!
The point being that the ice rink is much needed in the town and the temporary rink offers a good provision of ice to all the teams there, whilst they await the refurbishment of the Hanger.
Number 5 on things to do in Slough – The Silverblades ice rink takes shape
Great Britain Men’s Universities beat Korea 3-1 in their placement game at the 28th Winter Universiade in Almaty. Streatham’s Dan Rose and former Bracknell Hornet Ivan Antonov both scored to rep the NIHL South. It marks GB Men’s first win at a Winter Universiade, so well done boys from all at Pro Hockey News.
Current Bracknell Hornet and big fan of Bounty bars Sam Cheema has been keeping a blog going during the tournament so check it out by clicking HERE
New MK signing
With the transfer deadline just about to close, Milton Keynes Thunder signed youngster Hallden Barnes-Garner, who had been training with the team and was recently with Okanagan u18 Europe. This good news was tempered by the announcement that talisman Jamie Line would be out injured for a number of weeks.
The Thunder pulled no punches as to the cause, with a statement on their Facebook site citing an incident in their fixture with London Raiders.
‘Captain Jamie Line is out for about six weeks following a ‘behind the play’ chop he got from a Raiders player last Sunday. It was a nasty deliberate act behind the refs back resulting in Liney now having his hand and wrist in plaster.’
Oxford City Stars released video footage of their win over Invicta Dynamos to a largely positive response. It is the first time an NIHL South team have released footage including commentary, which the Stars synched from the radio coverage of the game.
It will always be difficult to get past the annoying netting that covers the spectator areas at Oxpens Road but it was a good effort from the Stars who have upped their media game this year. You can watch the highlights by clicking HERE
Saturday action
Chelmsford knew that a four point weekend would wrap up the league title but had Invicta and Streatham standing in their way of early silverware.
Consistency has been key to the Chieftains success this year, but no one would have expected them to beat the second placed Dynamos in quite the fashion they did, with a 9-3 road win in Gillingham.
Fuming Parrish (Dave Trevallion)
Dynamos Coach Kev Parrish pulled no punches after the game in a radio interview in which he suggested among other things that the players did not need smoke blown up their behinds and were lucky he hadn’t set them on fire. In fairness to the Mo’s supremo, he has had plenty to contend with this year, not least the loss of key goaltender Damien King through long term injury.
The Chieftains scorers on the night were hat trick heroes Grant Bartlett and Juraj Huska plus lone scorers Cameron Bartlett, Lukas Zatopek and Jake Sylvester. For Invicta Steven Osman hit a brace and Callum Fowler got one.
Milton Keynes Thunder scored a late winner through Ross Bowers to seal a 3-2 win over the Solent Devils at the Thunderdome.
Jakub Klima and Connor Goode got the other goals from the Thunder with Richard Facey and Aidan Doughty on target for the Devils.
The result came despite the Devils outshooting their hosts over the sixty minutes.
Sunday action
Chelmsford looked like they may have to put the champagne on ice as Streatham took a 2-0 lead into the first period break at the Riverside. The champagne did end up on ice, but sadly for the RedHawks it was sprayed onto the pad as the Chieftains came back and won 6-3.
Fine season for Easton
Darren Brown scored two for the hosts to add to goals from Jake Sylvester, Liam Chong, Ollie Baldock and Cameron Bartlett. For Streatham it was Ryan Giles, Ryan Webb and the Danish Destroyer Liam Rasmussen with the goals.
In many ways the score line typifies the Chieftains displays this year as even when their backs are to the wall they find a way to get the job done. For Streatham it leaves Coach Jeremy Cornish plenty to ponder ahead of the Cup and Play-Offs, as to how he can get his team to beat the Essex side. The two teams will meet two more times in the league before the end of the regular season.
Chelmsford celebrated on the ice following the game with yet another nylon ‘League Champions’ banner proclaiming their achievement. In hindsight they could have made the banner date neutral and save a few hundred quid over the last five years such has been their dominance. Well done to Sean Easton and all at the Riverside from Pro Hockey News.
In the other game of the day, Oxford City Stars hosted the basement team Bracknell Hornets at Oxpens Road. The Stars won 5-2 thanks to a hat trick from Alan Green and lone goals from Jesse Lye and Joe Edwards.
Stars celebrate Green’s hat trick (Paul Foster)
For the Hornets it was Will Stead and Michael Oravec with the goals.
The night got worse for the Hornets as they missed a penalty shot with Danny Hughes faking his cannon of a slapshot and then having his deke saved by Tom Annetts.
The result leaves the Hornets seven points behind Solent and rooted to the bottom of the league while Oxford move up to fourth with back to back victories.
Results
Saturday 4 February 2017
Invicta Dynamo 3-9 Chelmsford Chieftains
MK Thunder 3-2 Solent Devils
Sunday 5 February 2017
Chelmsford Chieftains 6-3 Streatham IHC
Oxford City Stars 5-2 Bracknell Hornets
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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