Saturday night in Gosport saw Invicta Dynamos arrive at the home of the Solent Devils. Invicta, sitting tight in second place in the league and unbeaten in their last nine games, were the obvious favourite heading in to this game, but the Devils stepped out on to the ice looking determined.
Alex Murray
Right from the drop, the Devils attacked hard, and defended as a team, finding space and constantly moving. Invicta however, are a talented and skilful team who are deserving of their place at the top of the league.
Four minutes in, Invicta were attacking, with four Devils trying to stop them getting through to the goal, leaving Alex Murray out at the blue line hassling the defenders waiting for a distance shot. A huge shot was fired in at the goal, but Christian Cole got his leg there in time, sending the puck high out of the Devils zone, landing almost on the centre line. Murray, having seen the rebound, chased the puck, poked it past the last defender, and found himself one on one with James Richardson guarding the Dynamos goal. Murray managed to flick the puck over Richardson’s leg, putting the Devils in to an early lead, with Cole getting his first assist of the season.
Just two minor penalties in the rest of the period (one for each team), and the two teams headed to the locker rooms with the score board showing 1-0.
The second period started, and both teams pushed hard. With the play in the Invicta zone, the puck came to Murray close to the goal post, but a quick flick across the crease to an oncoming Matt Lawday saw the Devils make the score 2-0.
Play started again, and went back and forth, Dynamos trying to get control of the game and the Devils keeping up the intensity they’d had since the start.
Alex Trendall and Richard Facey got the puck back across the Invicta blue line, giving Aiden Doughty time to get to the front of the goal. His first strike was blocked by Richardson’s skate, but Doughty picked up the rebound and knocked it over the now prone keeper.
Invicta attacked hard following the puck drop, and a long range shot from Mason Webster finally beat Cole and got the visitors on the scoreboard.
The third goal in less than two minutes, was another Devils goal, Doughty scoring his second of the game, this time unassisted, after the puck came out from behind the Dynamos goal.
Richardson left the Dynamo net after this goal, and was replaced by John dibble.
With less than a minute of the second period remaining, Joshua Condren was sent to the penalty box for delay of game, after the puck had ended up in the Devils bench while Condren was defending.
With the puck in the Devils zone, Ben Lock sent it to Facey, who took it down the wing, deep in to the Invicta zone. A quick pass to Drew Campbell, and Campbell scored his first goal after returning to the Devils, and ending the period 5-1.
The third period started, and Invicta were clearly frustrated at the score, yet the Devils showed no signs of slowing down. Mason Wild’s over enthusiastic tackle of Adam ŘEhák, earned Wild two minutes in the penalty box for slashing.
Invicta pressed hard, and keeping the pressure on the Devils goal, shot after shot being fired towards Cole, it was only a matter of time before one of them slipped through. ŘEhák, ironically getting the goal, with Webster and captain, Callum Fowler, getting the assists.
Devils, somehow, still weren’t done, and Murray passed to Mark Pitts, who found Lawday, who got behind the defence and went one on one with Dibble. Lawday, kept his nerve and made the score 6-2.
Devils continued the assault, against an increasingly frustrated Dynamo side, and when Pitts’ shot was blocked, Murray was there to bury the rebound.
Minutes later, Fowler was ejected from the game for spearing.
Webster was given four minutes (2+2) for fighting, after following Lawday as he backed away, and after the whistle Webster gave Lawday a bop on the nose.
This gave the devils a last powerplay, and Facey with Monty Gailer, managed to help set up Lawday to make the score 8-2 in the final minute.
“The team were looking for something to build off,” said an elated captain, Alex Cole “The Devils aren’t a team that rely on just talent to win games, we have to work hard for it. Tonight’s game plan was to work for each other, identify key players, take each shift at a time an execute all chances. The score line shows we most definitely did!”
The Devils didn’t have long to rest, and made the trip to Oxford on Sunday, to face third in the league, the Oxford City Stars – who themselves had a big win the night before, after beating Streatham 7-0.
This game, was another fast-paced action packed game, with Oxford striking first after five minutes of play. Joe Edwards giving the assist to captain, Darren Elliott as he put the home side in the lead.
It took the Devils almost a full ten minutes to strike back, but Facey and Murray are a formidable duo, and head coach, Murray, managed to tie the score.
Oxford then lost Jaroslav Cesky, when he was asked to leave the game following a cross-check call by the referee.
By the end of the first period, Devils had managed to push themselves properly in to the lead, following the efforts of Wild and Murray to help Pitts score, and then an unassisted Facey making it 3-1 to the Devils right before the buzzer.
It took the Devils less than a minute to bag a fourth goal, Campbell finding the back of the net, with help from Facey and Doughty.
Oxford fought back, and a minute later, Logan Prince’s assist helped Hallam Wilson give City Stars their second goal of the game.
Devils, boosted by their previous night’s experience and how this game was going, pushed on, and Pitts provided the assist on yet another Murray goal, which was followed up minutes later when Facey scored his second of the game – assists coming from Doughty and Campbell.
The second period ended 6-2 in favour of the Devils.
Minutes after the third started, Facey gave an assist with Campbell, this time to Doughty.
Thirteen seconds later, Oxford pulled one back, Josh Oliver with the assist on Brendan Baird’s goal.
Barely a minute more passed, and Doughty once more found the back of the net, another assist from Facey, with Lock getting an assist too.
Three minutes later, an unassisted Murray scored his third goal of the game – his fifth goal of the weekend – to make the score 9-3 to the Devils.
Brendan Baird once more snatched a goal back, this time unassisted, and with only five minutes to go on the clock.
Drew Campbell
As the seconds ran down, the Devils surged forwards once more. Mark Baroni picked up an assist, Murray picked up yet another assist, and Wild finished the job, giving the Devils their first 10 goal game of the season.
Following the game, a beaming Alex Murray said “I’m really happy with our performances this weekend. We’ve got our squad back to full strength and with the addition of Drew (Campbell), I was able to mix the lines up and find the right click. Every single player gave it their all, and that’s what we need if we are to compete in this league.” Looking to the future, he then went on to say “We have to be read to go again, these sorts of results don’t come without hard work and effort, week in, week out.”
This coming Saturday, the Devils head to league leaders Chelmsford for their only game of the weekend, and return to the Gosport Arena to face Streatham on January 29th.
You must be logged in to post a comment.