LONDON, UK – The replica jerseys of hockey fans walking under the dark Kent sky, plus the cars parked side by side along the road are clues to suggest the hockey game in Gillingham tonight is a big one.
Photo by Ice Cold Photography
The queue snaking into an already full car park from the rink entrance is not a sign of an inefficient ticket office but one that suggests seats inside may be hard to find. This may be third tier British hockey but the demand to see the NIHL South Cup final between Invicta Dynamos and Chelmsford Chieftains is high.
The dominant Chieftains hold a slender one goal lead after a 4-3 win in Essex the previous evening, but many Dynamos fans are quietly confident that their team can finally switch those ribbons on the trophy to blue and red from the usual black and gold.
Their hopes are boosted further when the Chieftains take to the ice without key defensemen Liam Chong and Carl Graham. Chelmsford coach Sean Easton has also plumped for his young goalie Sonny Phillips to stand between the pipes instead of the more experienced Ben Clements, who iced the previous evening.
The rink is almost full. Seats are at a premium and the noise ratchets up as the two teams take to the ice. The Chelmsford fans in the far corner of the rink do their best to counter the home support and the volume befits the occasion.
The Chieftains start the stronger, unfazed by an atmosphere that would make lesser sides wilt. They test Invicta goalie Damien King early on but the Mo’s star stopper stands firm. At the other end, Phillips denies Rehak in the slot and then King gloves a Juraj Huska cannon from close range after a mistake from one of his defenseman.
The game goes back and forth but despite having less of the puck, it is the home side who score first to tie things up at 4-4 on aggregate. The Mo’s third line are hustling the Chieftains rearguard and pin them down before Bradley Gutridge digs out a shot that Phillips can only steer into the path of Nicky Lewis who makes no mistake with the finish.
The rink explodes with noise, the Chieftains look rattled briefly and the Mo’s press for a quick second goal. A few minutes later the home support erupts as Fowler appears to have scored from the left wing. The brass bonanza music plays, the Mo’s fans dance in the aisles but referee Stephenson has washed it out. Like a frat house party shut down by the police, an awkward silence follows.
Rehak in a battle (David Trevallion)
The period break sees the fans head for refreshments and the players head back to their locker rooms. Queues snake out of the café and toilets like a scene from Glastonbury but without the recreational drug use and mud – business is booming. Those with seats at the far end of the rink have a dilemma of whether they have time to order chips before the Zamboni does its business, or risk being stuck at the wrong side of the player benches and sacrifice their seat.
Both teams start the second period with a bang as Bartlett has a breakaway denied by King and Scott Bailey pings the puck back off the bar for Invicta. The home side also up the physicality with Harrison Lillis pulling off a solid hip check on Cameron Bartlett and then Ondrej Zosiak drills his brother Grant to the ice.
The Bartlett brothers are no strangers to physicality despite their slender frames and they bravely head straight back into the mix with Cameron needling Adam Rehak for a reaction. The Mo’s import doesn’t take the bait and instead lays a big hit on youngster Callum Wells behind the net. Wells takes a penalty with a retaliatory slash and as the pair have words, Mo’s enforcer Mason Webster arrives on the scene to drop the gloves with the Chelmsford defenseman.
The Mo’s powerplay now have a perfect opportunity to edge their side into the lead but disaster strikes as Huska blocks an Arran Strawson shot from the point and skates the full length of the ice before unleashing a clapper from the slot to give King no chance.
With 22 seconds left in the period the killer blow is struck as the excellent Jake Sylvester pops up unmarked in front of goal on the powerplay and drills the puck past King from a perfect Huska pass.
The Mo’s know they have a mountain to climb at 6-4 down and the third period starts with a twist. The Chieftains pre-game complaint about bad lighting sees the final twenty minutes divided into two, allowing each goalie ten minutes in a dimly lit crease.
The final third doesn’t start well for the Mo’s as within four minutes Rehak is carried off injured after appearing to have his legs taken from under him and then Ayliffe tips an inch perfect pass from Grant Bartlett into the net to extend the visitors lead to three goals.
Frizzy bottles the trip to Medway
The Mo’s refuse to go down without a fight though. Steven Osman fires the puck wide when it seems easier to score but then Nicky Lewis finally converts for the home side with a tap in at the back post.
The home support take their chance to roar on their team and the previously subdued atmosphere returns to its usual level. The team respond, with Rehak leading the charge grimacing in pain with every stride. Phillips is dealing with everything that comes his way and any loose rebounds are being cleared by the Chieftains blue line corps.
Invicta begin to look tired. Their star players visibly jaded from earlier efforts are unable to break through a Chieftains side who have effectively shut up shop. One lone fore-checker is on duty for the visitors as a wall of black and gold meets the Dynamos forwards whenever they step over the red line. The Chieftains fans know their team are close to victory, as they chant to the beat of their drum with the home support determined not to be outdone responding in kind.
The Mo’s pull King with a minute to go. Cameron Bartlett spins in his own end and fires the puck down the ice. The crowd fall silent as it heads towards goal before bouncing back off the post. Almost straight away Grant Bartlett fires towards goal again from his own zone and the puck hits the post again. Unbelievable drama that is topped off with 19 seconds to go as the same player drills his shot wide of the empty net again but watches the puck bounce kindly off the back boards to tee him up for a simple tap in.
Chiefs love it when a plan comes together
Bartlett wheels away towards the jubilant travelling support who break into chants of ‘We are number 1’.Indeed they are.
As the buzzer goes the Chieftains mob Phillips in net and the Dynamos players sink to the ice. The officials stand calmly. They have had a relatively easy night but safety is always on their mind. Referee Stephenson orders the whole Chelmsford team to go and find their helmets for the handshakes or risk a mass misconduct penalty. A frat party break up scenario all over again!
The presentations over, the majority of the fans head back to their cars wondering whether the upcoming play-offs will be the same. The Chieftains remain the team to beat, but had key moments gone Invicta’s way, the cup may not have ended up headng back to Essex. The fact it did shows the task facing any team who want to deny Chelmsford a likely treble.
Congratulations to all at Chelmsford on picking up their second trophy of the season so far from all at Pro Hockey News.
Contact the author david.carr@prohockeynews.com
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