LONDON, UK – The NIHL Cup final weekend marks the next stage of the 2014/15 season as league champions Chelmsford Chieftains aim to get their hands on a second trophy of the campaign.
Runners-up Invicta Dynamos stand in their way, but only one team can lift the cup. Pro Hockey News previews the match-up between two teams with contrasting styles but equally capable of glory.
Cup competitions have always been popular in UK sport, yet in the early rounds of NIHL hockey they can often be viewed as fixture fillers as teams slog through the round robin stages alongside league games.
By the time the semi-finals come along the interest ramps up significantly for fans and players alike, and come the final… well it’s just six periods of hockey with a trophy to be lifted at the end.
Form guide
Both sides come into the final in poor form with uncharacteristic home losses and dropped league point’s common place following the weekend Chelmsford secured the title in Cardiff.
Momentum is often cited as vital in the big one-off games but neither side is looking particularly hot in the lead up to the final.
Invicta have been missing personnel lately so will no doubt be boosted by the return of the walking wounded/rested, however Chelmsford have simply looked hungover from their title win.
The Leaders
For the first time in many years, both finalists have bench coaches rather than one side having a player coach. Invicta’s Kevin Parrish has seen it all at this level, winning a string of titles and cups over his time at the club. Frustratingly for both Parrish and the Mo’s fanbase they have had a bare trophy cabinet since 2010 despite promising so much during each season.
Dwayne Newman cuts a relatively new coaching figure on the Chelmsford bench, but the Canadian has played at all levels in the UK and was often the Captain at whatever club he was at. Newman had a tough task emulating his predecessor Gary Clarke, who delivered a quadruple to the Riverside last season, but he has already lifted a league title in his first season as Coach.
Both have contrasting styles with Parrish a big believer in allowing his flair players such as Callum Fowler and Andy Smith a free reign to show their skills, whilst Newman adopts a more defensive strategy that has seen the Chieftains concede far less goals than any other team in the league, 79 against compared to Invicta’s 140.
On the ice the respective team Captains reflect similar differences with Chelmsford’s Julian Smith a calm and composed defenseman, however Invicta’s Anthony Leone envisages the cavalier spirit of his side with his vocal encouragement and hard hitting forward play.
The Snipers
Of the two sides, the Mo’s have the standout forwards with their two import forwards and the Brit pack of Andy Smith, Callum Fowler and Leone always good for goals. Thankfully for Chelmsford, Frankie Harvey will not be involved at the weekend which gives them one less scorer to worry about.
Chelmsford’s Brit pack has long been their strength in depth with Darren Brown, Matt Turner and Cameron Bartlett all firing well this season.
Invicta have six forwards who have scored over 20 goals this season whereas Chelmsford only have two, with the Essex side spreading their goals over a greater portion of their squad.
The Dynamos have outscored every single team in the league with over 200 goals yet Chelmsford have scored less than both third placed Streatham and fourth placed Wightlink.
The Imports
Piecha, Oravec, Zatopek and Huska
Both teams have an eastern European duo with Slovak forward’s Michal Oravec and Juraj Huska leading the line for Invicta, and Czech pair Martin Piecha and Lukas Zatopek filling the overseas quota for Chelmsford.
Oravec came in mid-season to replace marquee summer signing Greg Chambers who was originally signed as a defenseman but found himself playing up front before being released due to poor performances.
The former Streatham man and Huska provide both flair and grit up front with both having superb individual skills and skating ability mixed with an edge that sometimes flares up if pressed.
Piecha has led the scoring for Chelmsford with 35 goals and Zatopek provides vital quality to a blue line that has been affected by injury this year.
The Blue Line
Invicta have appealed to former defenseman Billy Phillips to come out of self-imposed absence for the cup final and play-offs as their decimated defense corps struggle to cope with sixty minutes of competitive hockey.
The all-action Arran Strawson and the remaining defenseman have been racking up the minutes and youngster Elliott Dewey in particular has shone as a result. Sadly Dewey is an injury doubt as is Harrison Lillis who needs surgery on his nose.
Chelmsford also have a light blue line with Zatopek, Smith and Ryan Giles playing big minutes alongside the likes of Alex Staples, Danny Wright and Sean Barry.
In truth both defences have been overworked at times this season but as a unit Chelmsford have proven they can shut out teams when needed.
The tendys
Mark McGill appears to be the new number 1 in Kent with injury stricken Mark Lee looking a serious doubt for the rest of the campaign. The Scot has put in some superb performances since his mid-season arrival from Dundee, but he has seen a lot more rubber than Parrish and his coaching staff would probably like.
Chelmsford can call on two experienced goalies with Euan King seemingly preferred to Ben Clements most of the time this season. King was the hero of the semi-final against Streatham as he came up big in the shootout.
This is not a department either coach needs to worry too much about.
The Barns
Invicta play out of Silverblades in Gillingham, a cold and damp facility out on a Kent industrial park that is transformed into one of the best venues to watch hockey in the NIHL as the home support build up a great atmosphere when needed.
The game day experience makes the best of the surroundings and it will be rocking for the cup final. Crowds have risen this season, especially in the earlier stages of the campaign when the Mo’s looked likely to mount a league title winning campaign.
The Riverside by contrast is bright, newly refurbished and stands on stilts above a car park. The Chieftains fans pack the building on match nights and the pre match build up makes good use of flashing lights and the best scoreboard in the league (what an accolade).
The sightlines are not great and the atmosphere struggles to travel over the high glass and low tier seating but this rink has seen a lot of good times in recent times and will host the first leg this time round.
The Verdict
Over the season Chelmsford have grinded out result after result without blowing teams away. That was until they demolished Invicta 9-0 after the New Year. This was somewhat a shock result, but the Dynamos are anything but predictable.
The Mo’s have unrivalled firepower and over two legs could easily click and get their hands on a trophy, but their threadbare defence remains a worry. Even if Phillips returns to the line-up he will have to keep his discipline, stay on the ice and play a more restrained brand of hockey if the Chieftains start to get on top.
It is hard to tell who has the advantage with Invicta hosting the 2nd leg in their own rink, especially after their last display there against the Chieftains resulted in a 9-0 reverse. Chelmsford will be hoping to get a few goals up on their rivals in the first leg but given their faltering home form of late that is certainly not a given.
Final verdict? Too close to call but one thing you should definitely do before going to watch this game at the weekend is watch this promo video HERE
Photos courtesy of: David Trevallion, Dave Page, Emily Snoding, Rick Webb
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