Sunday night, Solent Devils had their first league game of the new season in Chelmsford against last season’s champions, the Chieftains.
The home team started strong, and Andrius Kaminskas set up Olegs Lascenko to put Chieftains in to the lead just over two minutes in to the game.
Dropping a goal this early, didn’t deter the Devils, and they kept fighting, with Mitch Murray getting the puck through to Alex Murray, who found Richard Facey ready to level the score.
Images courtesy of Ice Cold Photography, Steve Sutherland #icecoldphotography
Seconds after the goal, Lukas Zatopek was sent to the penalty box for high sticks, but the Chieftains are a tight unit and the Devils couldn’t get through for a second time in such a short amount of time.
Alternate captain, Alexander Staples caught Facey against the boards, but nothing came of it and play continued until the buzzer sent the players to the locker rooms for the first break.
If the Chieftains had come out strong in the first, the Devils managed to score again in a quicker time after the break, with Kyle Goddard getting an unassisted goal in two minutes and one second following the break.
The home side rallied, and just at the stroke of half time, with the puck deep in the Devils zone, Oliver Baldock’s pass to Daniel Hammond was sent out to the blue line, where Callum Wells screamer went past Christian Cole in the Devils goal.
As the period went on, the Chelmsford side obviously smelt blood and were pressing hard, with Zatopek making the score 3-2 with and unassisted goal.
Devils captain, Alex Cole was sent to the penalty box for delay of game, and the Chieftains pressed their advantage late in the second. Hammond with his second assist of the game, and Matthew Turner providing the second assist on Cameron Bartlett’s goal, making the score 4-2 at the end of the period.
The Devils regrouped during the break, and came back on to the ice with determination and purpose. Mark Pitts seeing Matt Lawday in space, Lawday not needing an invitation to score pulled the game back to within one goal.
Trying everything they could to pull back that last goal, including Cole leaving the Devils net to get an extra player on the ice, the Devils fought hard, but ultimately the time ran out leaving the score 4-3 to Chelmsford.
Images courtesy of Ice Cold Photography, Steve Sutherland #icecoldphotography
Speaking after the game, head coach Alex Murray said “It was a good, hard fought game. The boys all played really well, and we were unlucky to ton come away with at least a point. We switched off for two minutes at the end of the second and it cost us the game, that said we showed great spirit to come back in the third, and with the goalie pulled we were unlucky not to tie the game.”
“The boys are bonding well, and being positive in supporting each other.” Said Alex Cole, captain for the Devils, “We’re a bit disappointed, as we deserved something from the game but we have got to look at the positives and build from it. The mistakes we made leading to the goals were things we can work on, and make sure as the season progresses they don’t happen again.”
Devils are on the road again for their next game, Saturday night, as they head to face the Invicta Dynamos.
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