Another double header for the Solent Devils, saw them play host to Invicta Dynamos on Saturday night.
With Christian Cole out sick, Sam Calder was the man between the pipes for the Devils, he was tested early and often. Devils, however, were as effective at taking the puck to the Dynamos goal too, forcing Damien King to stop as many shots as Calder faced throughout the game.
Richar Brown in action in SOlent file photo
At the ten minute mark, Ollie Denis took a tumble in the centre of the rink, and as he went sprawling across the ice, his stick became entangled in another players skates and Denis received two minutes for tripping.
The face off was won by Jack Lee for the Dynamos, who got the puck out to Josh Condren who headed straight towards the Devils goal. While under pressure from the Devils, Condren spotted Nicky Lewis, who in turn saw light coming through under the pad of Calder, and managed to slide the puck through the gap and start the scoring.
Thirty seconds later, the puck was flying around the Devils zone, with the Devils trying to get it out. Callum Fowler stole the puck from the end of a Devils stick, and made the score 2-0 to the Dynamos.
Dynamos took charge pretty quickly after the face off, and a pass forward was intercepted on the Devils blue line by Alex Cole, who fired a quick pass to Mitch Murray. Murray went flying down the ice, and before he even got to the Dynamos blue line, Murray let fly with an almighty slap shot, which went flying past King.
Dynamos went straight on the attack, and while defending Steve Gosset went for the puck in a way that was a bit aggressive, and earned himself two minutes in the penalty box for slashing.
The puck was quickly taken to the Devils zone, and was being moved around the area dangerously. Eriks Ozollapa passed to Lewis on the blue line, and his slap shot was heading straight at Calder. Unfortunately for Calder, Steve Osman’s outstretched stick managed to deflect the puck enough to put it round the net minder, and in to the goal.
Four goals in eighty seven seconds of game time, is an unstainable way to go, and the goals stopped for a few minutes.
Dynamos, though, only needed a few minutes, Ondrej Zosiak’s pass being picked up by Condren, who headed straight in to the Devils zone under huge pressure from Cole. Condren however, managed to slip a pass behind Cole, to Fowler in the slot who let go with a one timer which went straight passed Calder.
Following another Invicta attack, the Devils goal was knocked off its moorings. The referees put it back on, but Calder was not happy and was trying to call the ref back after play had restarted. After the ref looked at him, then skated off, Calder decided to make a statement and flipped the goal on to its back. This got the referees attention, and they stopped the game to fix the goal properly.
The puck was dropped, and this time was won by Richard Facey. His pass out to the wing was fired in to the goal by Murray, earning him his second goal of the evening. To show his displeasure, King then pushed his goal all the way back against the boards of the rink, making the referees reseat his goal too.
Richard Facey in Solent file photo
Coming in to the second, Ozollapa was sent to the sin bin for hooking Alex Murray behind the Devils goal, but Devils couldn’t capitalise on this and the score remained 4-2 as he re-joined the game.
Dynamos, then picked up three more goals, Fowler getting two more assists, Ozollapa getting himself a goal, Bailey Wootton getting one, and Arran Strawson getting the third while Cole was in the penalty box for tripping.
There was then almost twenty minutes of game time with no goals, but half way through the third two came almost on top of each other. Ozollapa getting the first and an assist on the second, this being scored by Lewis.
Devils picked up a late consolation goal, Murray not getting a hat trick but providing the assist to Richard Facey. This however did not change much, and the game finished 9-3 to Dynamos.
Sunday, Devils went on the road to take on Streatham Redskins. Christian Cole still too sick to play, which meant Calder got another league start.
This game started well for the Devils, George Norcliffe and Richard Brown providing assists to Ralfs Circenis, as he scored just thirty eight seconds in to the game.
Alex Cole picked up a power play goal minutes later, with Andrew Magee and Mitch Murray providing the assists.
Richard Facey then provided an assist, with Magee, and Murray scored his thirteenth goal of the season.
Heading in to the break 3-0 up, the Devils obviously felt confident, but the team talk in the home dressing room must have been strong.
The second started with Redskins once again short handed, but Nick Chinn and David Savage teamed up to provide Callum Best the assists he needed to get Streatham underway.
Best scored two more goals, Chinn providing assists on both. These two goals tied the game up, and kept it that way until the second break.
Devils came out strong, Steve Gosset and Alex Trendal providing assists to Mason Wild, who put Devils back in the lead.
With nine minutes left to go, Redskins managed to tie things back up, Savage and Jack Tarczycki giving Christopher Wiggins the help he needed.
Heartbreakingly for the Devils, Streatham managed to pull in to the lead a minute later, Dominic Hopkins getting his second assist of the night, Daniel Clayton getting an assist too, and Joseph Johnston managing to get the game winning goal.
Devils return to Gosport Arena for a two game weekend at home this coming weekend, starting with Streatham Redskins on Saturday and then hosting Oxford City Stars on Sunday.
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