Last year’s NIHL 2 playoff champions, the Chelmsford Chieftains with two wins from their two games already this season, faced off against last year’s NIHL 2 playoff runners up, the Solent Devils, on Saturday night in Gosport as the Devils got their season underway in NIHL 1, after the league re-shuffle over the summer.
Defenceman and Devils alternate captain, Mason Wild, picked up a rare penalty just 31 seconds in to the game for slashing, and he was followed to the penalty box just 28 seconds later by fellow defender, Ben Lock, leaving the Devils facing a 5 on 3 for just over 90 seconds.
Somehow, the Devils held off the attacking Chieftains and both players made it back with the scoreboard still reading 0-0. Alex Cole, another Devils defender and their captain sat the third penalty of the game, but somehow the Devils made it through this unscathed too, although Matthew Turner did take the pressure off somewhat by getting Chieftains first penalty of the game just 35 seconds after Cole left the ice.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, the Chieftains were the first to find the back of the net, James Diamond providing the only assist to Grant Bartlett. Bartlett picked up an assist with James Ayling just over four minutes later while the Chieftains had another powerplay (Devils – too many men on the ice), John Connolly putting the puck past Christian Cole in the Devils goal.
It was at the halfway point in the game the Devils fans finally had a goal to cheer, Alex Cole driving home a powerplay goal following assists from Richard Facey and Alex Murray.
Almost four minutes in to the third period, the Devils tied the game up at 2-2, Wild and Facey with assists for Alex Trendall. A minute and a half later, Chieftains netminder, Sonny Phillips was beaten again, Facey pushing the Devils in to the lead with an unassisted goal to go with his two assists.
With just under 10 minutes left to play, Cameron Bartlett helped his brother Grant level the score again, and with both teams holding the other at bay the final buzzer went with the score 3-3, taking the game in to overtime.
Five minutes wasn’t enough, and it came down to a penalty shootout.
James Hounsome stepped up first for the Devils, but Phillips stopped the shot. Grant Bartlett then went for Chieftains, but Cole stopped his too.
Alex Trendall broke the deadlock as he buried his shot into the net, Cole had the Devils fans on their feet when he denied Turner.
Veteran player, Drew Campbell stepped up next, and with poise that only comes from years of experience, Campbell got the puck over the line too, meaning there was no need for a third shot from the Chieftains, starting the Devils campaign on a huge high.
Speaking after the game, Devils man of the match, Trendall spoke about his big year last season and picking up awards for both Players Player of the year, and Supporters Player of the year, saying “It’s a huge confidence boost, at this sort of level, confidence is a big thing, you can be fit, you can be skilful, but without confidence you wont get anywhere.”
Head coach Murray added to that by saying “In games like these, tonight, in particular, we look for guys to step up, it was Alex tonight, and I couldn’t be prouder as a coach, it’s a real testament to him, especially with a penalty shot to top it off.”
Sunday night, saw the Devils take the long road trip to Cardiff to face Fire. Devils, elated after their win the night before, Fire reeling from a 6-1 defeat to Slough Jets earlier in the weekend and a 9-6 loss to Romford for their first game of the season, the weekend before.
The Devils left Christian Cole at home, taking Matt Colclough for a very rare outing to guard the Devils net.
The Devils struck first just over ten minutes into the game, Hounsome converting Murray’s assist.
A minute later Fire netminder, Lewis Davies picked up a delay of game penalty, but the Devils couldn’t convert it to another goal.
It took until the thirty fourth minute for another goal, Ralfs Circenis in his return to the Devils picking up an assist with Facey, all helping Mark Pitts push the Devils to 2-0.
Ben Smith cut the Devils lead back to one though, after Lewis Stevens provided him the assist as Cardiff Fire finally got a goal.
Just before the end of the second period, Circenis and Elis Sheppard dropped gloves, each taking a 2+2 penalty.
The third period remained goal free, seeing the home side take their third defeat from three games, but the Devils picking up 4 points from their two game weekend, starting their season in the best possible way.
“I’m really happy with the road game tonight, I think 2-1 didn’t really reflect the performance but ultimately we are happy with the result,” said Murray after this game, “We played well tonight, but we weren’t clinical enough and despite outshooting them we just couldn’t score.”
Alex Cole went on to say “It’s been tough, it’s a wake up, to be fair this is what we need, we need to play at this standard and we need to be pushing ourselves. We need to be clinical in the next game, against Invicta Dynamos, we need to work on the basics in training, and get into those good habits.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.