Saturday night, the Solent Devils played host to the Peterborough Phantoms for the two teams second match of the season. The first time these two teams met, the Phantoms defeated the Devils in overtime, and as the two teams stepped out on to the ice, it was evident the Phantoms wanted another victory and the Devils wanted revenge.
Christian Cole, stopping a shot – photo courtesy of Dave Chapman
A minute in, and the Devils took their first penalty, Christopher Hocquigny heading to the penalty box for high sticks.
Peterborough went on the offensive, trying to capitalise on the Devils disadvantage, but when the puck was knocked out of the Devils zone, it was chased down the ice by Richard Facey. The puck headed deep in to the Phantoms zone, and Daniel Lane came out of his goal to knock it back up the ice, Facey though, with a huge stretch, just managed to stop the puck before it crossed the blue line, pulled it in close and took it to the goal, as it looked like he was about to go around the back of the net, he saw a gap between Lane’s skate and the post, and put the puck through it, opening the scoring just before the two minute mark, with a short handed, unassisted goal.
Not long after the game restarted, and Hocquigny returned to the ice, there was a small clash in the corner of the Devils zone, which resulted in Hocquigny and Connor Stokes dropping gloves and helmets, after a short period of activity, they were taken to the penalty box by the referees.
Six seconds further in to the game, Facey and Jonathan Brammall’s excited discussion, where they both dropped gloves, saw them join the others in the penalty box.
Christian Cole watching the puck – photo courtesy of Dave Chapman
The puck was dropped, and knocked out of the Phantoms zone, it was collected in centre, and taken back in again. Alex Murray passed to Drew Campbell, whose shot was redirected by new Devil, Evan Crockford, getting him a goal in his debut match after just 3:35 played.
Both teams continued the fast and frantic action, and when Shaun Rudkin was given a two minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, the Phantoms went on a full assault on the Devils goal. With Christian Cole and the Devils defence frantically stopping everything, Cole ended up on the floor and the puck skittered away from him. The huge shot went over the prone netminder, but somehow, his brother and Devils Captain, Alex Cole appeared on the line, keeping the puck from the net, meaning Rudkin returned with the score still 2-0.
Murray then took a penalty, tripping Connor Hunter, as Hunter was heading in to the Devils zone, but once more the Devils defence – notably Rudkin, Cole and Ben Lock – were all over the Phantoms attackers, and anything that slipped by them was blocked by the Devils netminder.
Murray returned to the ice, calling line changes as he went after the puck, playing a shift before heading back to the bench for a moment.
The Phantoms, however, continued their assault, when Campbell managed to clear the puck from the Devils zone. It was picked up in centre my Murray, who went straight at the Phantoms goal. With the netminder in position, blocking as much net as possible, Murray saw a gap between Lane’s leg pad and glove, and from the blue line put the puck through the hole.
Once more, the Phantoms went on the attack, desperate to get something on the scoreboard before the period ended, when Alex Cole cleared the puck to centre, where it was picked up by Campbell, who headed in, Lane watching him intently, waiting for the shot, and when he moved to block it, it turned out to be a dummy and a reverse pass to Murray, who had followed Campbell to the goal. Murray having three quarters of the net in front of him, couldn’t miss, and the Devils fans were on their feet screaming as the board now read 4-0.
Alex Cole – photo courtesy of Dave Chapman
Early in the second, Dale Jowett was caught hooking, leaving the Phantoms a man down on the ice, and the Devils attacked hard. Murray passed the puck to Kieran Annis, who fired an almighty shot from the Phantoms blue line, but Lane had manoeuvred to stop it, Facey however, was there in time to give it a gentle redirection past the netminder for his second of the game.
The game continued, and the Phantoms never once dropped their heads or let the intensity of their battle lessen, and when they were attacking and Lock went in hard on the defence, his huge slash at the attacking Phantoms sticks earned him a two minute rest in the penalty box.
By now though, the Devils confidence was through the roof, and when Murray went on the attack he went at the goal like he meant it. His shot was stopped by Lane, with Lane ending face down on the ice, thinking the puck was safe in his glove. Unfortunately for Lane, it had bounced out as he fell, and Facey was heading in towards the goal. Facey lifted it over Lane and in to the net, celebrating his hat trick and waving to the crowd beaming a huge smile.
The third period, was intense, and then half way through Mark Pitts was boarded by Jonathan Brammal, before the referee had a chance to give him his penalty, Pitts turned and cross checked Sam Barlow in retaliation, resulting in both players dropping their gloves and getting intimate, and when Jowett looked like he was going to join in, Cole dropped gloves and he and Jowett entertained each other for a while too.
Minutes later, Connor Hunter was sent to the penalty box for kneeing, and before his penalty ended Craig Wallis was given a ten minute misconduct penalty, so headed straight for the showers.
The Devils continued attacking, and as Daniel Shire rounded the Phantoms goal, he was stopped by the high stick of Robert Mcdonald, making Mcdonald a spectator for the last two minutes of the game.
As the final buzzer went, Christian Cole was on his feet, cheering and waving his arms in triumph, recording his first shutout of the year, seeing the Devils get the revenge they were seeking, defeating the Phantoms 5-0.
The Devils are on the road to Swindon this Sunday, face off at the Link Centre, 7:45pm.
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