Solent Devils made the short drive up the M3 Saturday evening, to visit the big ice in Bracknell and take on the Hornets.
Right from the off, this proved to be a physical game and at just 39 seconds played the Devils found themselves on a man advantage, as Josh Martin was sent off for using his elbows on Latvian born Devil, Ralfs Circenis.
Steve Gosset bearing down on Danny House – courtesy of Kevin Slyfield Photography
The Devils made full use of the giant ice pad, and young players Circenis, Alex Trendal, Monty Gailer, and Mason Wild seemed to delight in having the space provided by an Olympic sized rink, and proved how agile and swift they could be.
It took just over eleven and a half minutes for the first goal to be scored, from a clearance deep in the Devils zone, Canadian import, Richard Brown, picked up the ice in the centre, and moving at speed managed to keep himself just ahead of the Bracknell defence, leaving him one on one with Daniel Milton in goal. Milton blocked the first shot, but couldn’t control the rebound and Brown was quick enough to scoop it up and send it past him with the second shot.
The Hornets went on the attack, but couldn’t seem to muster what was required to tie the game up, and when Martin was in front of Christian Cole in the Devils goal. Martin seemed to be getting a bit close in to Cole, and ended up getting sent to the sin bin again, this time for interference.
The first period ended shortly after, with the game still 1-0 to the Devils.
Coming out after the break, Milton was again tested, as the Devils took the puck deep in to the Hornets end and refused to let it back out. The puck was being sent around and around the Hornets defensive zone, and shot after shot was being blocked by Milton. Eventually, however, Steve Gosset scooped up a rebound by the post and made the score 2-0.
Ralfs Circenis – courtesy of Kevin Slyfield Photography
Hornets received a power play of their own, when Circenis was heading on to the ice for a shift, the puck seemed to be heading out of the open door and Circenis stuck his stick out to stop it. Unfortunately, the players leaving the ice hadn’t got off, and Gosset headed to the sin bin to take a two minute bench penalty for the Devils.
Bracknell, however, couldn’t get the breakaway they needed and the Devils successfully held the score until Gosset returned to the ice.
As Gosset came back on, he picked up the puck in neutral ice, and despite a huge effort from the Bracknell players, managed to get the puck away to Brown. Brown, obviously then became the attention of the Hornets, and he managed to take the puck straight to the goal mouth, and while under incredible pressure, managed to turn his back toward the goal, and with a back handed flick chipped the puck over Milton.
JJ Pitchley picked up a two minute penalty, for slashing, but by this point Hornets head coach, Danny Hughes was fired up. Hughes picked up the puck from a turnover in his own end, and took off down the ice with the Devils racing to keep up. Hughes saw he had support of his own coming down the wing, but went straight as an arrow towards the Devils goal, taking a shot from between the circles, which Cole blocked. The speed of Hughes attack carried him forward, and in one move he fired the puck over Cole’s head and managed to claw one back for the home team.
Devils captain, Alex Cole, received a penalty, interference for knocking away Martin’s stick, and shortly after, Devils head coach, Alex Murray, was sent to the sin bin too. This gave the Hornets a 5 on 3 advantage for twenty one seconds.
This penalty was killed off by the Devils, and then Martin was, once again, sent to the sin bin. This time on a high stick call, as his stick collided with Net minder, Cole’s helmet.
Bracknell managed to hold the score 3-1 for this penalty, but seconds after they returned to full strength, they lost Danny House.
The Devils, managed this time to use their extra man, and once again sending the puck round and around the Hornets end, the puck dropped to Murray out on the blue line, who absolutely belted the puck over Milton’s shoulder and in to the back netting.
Domink Hegyi – courtesy of Kevin Slyfield Photography
Second period ended 4-1 to the visitors.
Shortly in to the third, Mitchell Murray had been on the attack, when the puck was cleared from the Hornets end. There seemed to be some words between him and Harvey Hind-Pitcher, but Murray skated away.
Unfortunately, as he was heading along the barrier for the Devils bench, he was checked, and this brought both teams heading to the side of the rink for some excited words with each other.
This resulted in many men in the sin bin, from both teams.
Hornets lost two men from the game, and Murray was forced back to the locker room to seek medical treatment for a large cut just behind his ear.
Just in case there weren’t enough people taking up residency in the sin bin, 6 foot 5 inche, Czech born Tomas Fojtik checked Trendall in the head, earning Fojtik 2+10.
Hughes shortly followed, following a wild slash at Circenis when the puck was nowhere near either player. The refs had clearly had enough at this point, and Hughes received five, plus game.
This seemed to wake both sets up players up, and the game settled back down to some decent hockey. It was so late in the game, however, that nothing could stop the Devils taking it 4-1.
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