LONDON, UK – Week three of NIHL South action promised much, and delivered once again with shock results, lots of goals and a fair amount of randomness.
Joe Edwards breaks Wightlink hearts (Paul Foster)
Ice hockey and game consoles have been good friends ever since Nintendo brought out the legendary Blades of Steel in 1987. Why Minnesota played in purple in the game is one of life’s unanswered mysteries, but it’s fair to say that the NHL branded games through the years have certainly widened the sports appeal.
Invicta Dynamos players headed down to the Maidstone branch of GAME during the week for an autograph session in synch with the launch of NHL 16.
It was a busy news week down in Kent as Mo’s Coach Kevin Parrish gave a lengthy interview with Kent Sports News that hinted that club legend Andy Smith would not be returning to the club. Invicta did however announce the appointment of experienced former Estonian international Dmitri Rodin as Assistant Coach and the appointment of Nicky Lewis as Captain.
Experienced local duo Grant Baxter and Damien Welch were also announced as returning to the on-ice line-up.
On a lighter note, the Mo’s management made a public appeal for fans to lend last season’s home jerseys back to the club for Sunday’s game against Bracknell, as this year’s jerseys had not yet arrived.
Anyone who has ordered hockey jerseys in the UK will be well aware that it isn’t the easiest of tasks, but the suggestion that the Mo’s might play in ‘skins’ was rejected by the senior players.
The Wales Online website gave everyone a tantalising view of the new twin pad facility under construction in Cardiff. Exciting times lie ahead for hockey in the Welsh capital and the article also confirmed that the main pad would be Olympic sized.
A four sided video scoreboard and 3,000 seats were also notable facts mentioned in the article.
No word about a Rollover hot dog stand or Slush Puppy machine however.
Coles smiling with Fiji
Former Wightlink Raiders Sports Therapist Victoria Coles was a happy lady this week as she swapped the medical room of Ryde Arena for the pulsating groin of 6’ 6” Fiji Rugby player Leone Nakarawa and friends.
Coles is working with the Fiji Rugby team throughout the Rugby World Cup and is another example of how the NIHL not only develops players, but Sports Therapists too!
Highlights of the Wightlink v Oxford game were uploaded during the week, no doubt to the chagrin of City Stars goalie Shannon Long.
The editor does the Oxford stopper no favours by replaying in slow motion the moment when he does a ‘Hextall’ and destroys his own stick on the boards.
You can view the game highlights and sublime late nineties techno musical introduction by clicking HERE
Soho surprise
Long term readers will remember a Pro Hockey News exclusive of a few years ago, when now London Racers captain Alastair Band had a tattoo done of former team mate Ryan Giles name on his backside.
Well we certainly like to keep up with the times and we can confirm that Band has not had the tattoo removed by laser yet, and indeed re-united it with now Streatham blue liner Giles at a swanky Soho bar in Central London on Wednesday.
With bruise of the week still not up and running yet, we are inviting NIHL South players to submit tattoo of the week. Send them in to the usual address.
Now retired Wightlink defenseman Damon Larter followed in the footsteps of Ian ‘Beefy’ Botham by cycling from John O’Groats to Lands End during the week. Well done Mr Larter and good luck with the chafing.
Damon cycled whilst carrying all his gear in aid of a childrens cancer charity, so if you can donate please visit the link HERE
Saturday’s Hockey
London Raiders were in early need of a lift after two narrow defeats last weekend, and with Frankie Harvey unavailable they called up youngster Rio Grinnell-Parke for his senior debut and Robert Veares also iced for the first time this season.
Chico gets magical help for Solent (Kev Slyfield)
Opponents Cardiff Devils were in confident mood thanks to a decent tie in Solent last weekend but it was the Londoners who took both points with a 7-3 win.
Michal Oravec scored a hat trick for the Raiders with Tom Davis, Seb Downing and Marek Nahlik also on target. For Cardiff the goals came from Giacomo Raffaelli, Josh Haslam and Luke Merrick.
The big clash of the evening saw Wightlink host a Chelmsford team that many believe are the runaway favourites for honours this year.
The visitors lived up to their billing with a 7-3 win in a bad tempered clash.
Juraj Huska scored a hat trick for Chelmsford with Grant Bartlett, Danny Hammond, Lukas Zatopek and Matt Turner getting a goal each. Wightlink goals came courtesy of a brace from Craig Tribe and a lone goal for Brendan Baird.
Stars enjoy the football
With six minutes to go things got a bit tasty as Jeremy Cornish clashed with Julian Smith and Raiders Captain Nick Compton was handed a ten minute misconduct by referee Richard Belfitt.
The final game of the day took place in Bracknell as the Hornets sought early revenge on a Solent side that had beaten them two weeks prior.
Indeed it looked as if Solent would win again as they led 3-2 with two minutes remaining, before Bracknell player-coach Danny Hughes popped up with an equalising goal to make it 3-3.
Will Stead and Matt Jordan had scored the other goals for Bracknell, whilst a brace from Hungarian Dominik Hegyi and a solo effort from George Norcliffe made up Solents tally.
Oxford City Stars squad spent their day off watching the football at the Kassam Stadium as they enjoyed Oxford Utd’s 1-1 draw with Portsmouth.
Sunday’s Hockey
Streatham looked to avenge last year’s play-off exit at the hands of Milton Keynes Thunder with an early league fixture in South London.
The Londoners got off to a good start as Thunder goalie Damien King mistakenly took a raised hand from referee Ian Hayden to mean a delayed penalty call on Streatham and left his net, only for him to realise later that it was a delayed call on MK.
Streatham’s new signing Kamil Kinkor punished the error by firing the puck into the unguarded net on the way to his hat trick, with Liam Rasmussen the other scorer in the 4-2 win.
For the Thunder it was Paul Gore and Ed Knaggs with one each.
Hat trick for Kinkor (Rick Webb)
Invicta may have had a jersey crisis ahead of their game against Bracknell Hornets, but when the puck dropped they were ready for action and skated off with a 7-4 win.
Eriks Ozollapa scored two with Jacob Ranson, Bailey Wootton, Conor Redmond, Nicky Lewis and Andy Henderson all getting a goal each.
Bracknell scorers were Danny Hughes with two and one each for Brandon Miles and Ryan Handisides.
Oxford City Stars faced Wightlink Raiders at Oxpens Road in a clash that produced some exciting games last year, and this one was just as eventful ending 2-2.
Oxford will of course be delighted with the point that came courtesy of goals from Ben Ealey-Newman and Joe Edwards. Wightlink scorers were Craig Tribe and Matthew Lawday.
The final game of the evening was in the Cup as Chelmsford took on old rivals London Raiders at the Riverside. It was sadly not a close contest with the Chieftains racing away with an 8-1 win, but London can take solace in the fact it was not in the league.
Juraj Huska scored a brace against his old club with Ollie Baldock, Cameron Bartlett, Lukas Zatopek, Anthony Leone, Danny Hammond and Ross Brears all on target with one each. Teenager Seb Downing continued his good goalscoring form with the consolation for the Raiders.
Results
Saturday 19 September 2015
London Raiders 7-3 Cardiff Devils NL
Bracknell Hornets 3-3 Solent Devils
Wightlink Raiders 3-7 Chelmsford Chieftains
Sunday 20th September 2015
Streatham Redskins 4-2 Milton Keynes Thunder
Invicta Dynamos 7-4 Bracknell Hornets
Oxford City Stars 2-2 Wightlink Raiders
Chelmsford Chieftains 8-1 London Raiders (NIHL Cup)
Contact the author: david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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