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Invicta Dynamos 4 – 1 Solent Devils
With the league season now behind them, attention shifted to the Playoffs. Finishing in 4th place, the Dynamos faced off against 5th-placed rivals, the Solent Devils. Matches between these two teams are traditionally close and thrilling, and expectations were high for another exciting encounter. The Devils arrived with a 21-man roster, while the Dynamos welcomed back Danny Scott from injury, bringing their squad to 18. The game was officiated by referee Evans, assisted by Hill and Brothwell. Starting goaltenders were Taylor for the Devils and Windebank for the Dynamos. With both teams ready and the puck poised to be dropped, the Playoff showdown was about to begin.
Period 1
The game faced off at a typically fast-paced playoff tempo, with both teams eager to set the tone for the weekend. The Dynamos started the brighter, firing shots from Prentice and Connolly that were well saved by Taylor, while Ranson and Pascale narrowly missed creating scoring opportunities. At 4:50, the first penalty of the night was assessed to the Devils, as Peacock was called for hooking, resulting in a two-minute power play for the Dynamos. However, this advantage was short-lived; at 5:39, Ranson was penalised for elbows, making it 4-on-4 hockey.
Seizing the extra space, the Dynamos quickly capitalised: at 5:59, Strawson was found by Pywell and fired home, giving the Dynamos an early lead. The game then returned to 5-on-5 play shortly after. At 9:22, the Devils’ Meacham was penalised for slashing, and on the resulting power play, Connolly scored, assisted by Ranson and Thune, to put the Dynamos ahead 2-0.
The Dynamos continued to look the more dangerous side, but at 15:35, Worthy was called for holding, giving the Devils a power play. The Dynamos successfully killed the penalty, with Ranson and Thune almost scoring shorthanded goals. As the period drew to a close, the final action came at 20:00 when Lock was called for hooking, but the Dynamos held their lead, heading into the break 2-0 ahead.
Period 2
The Dynamos opened the second period on the power play but failed to generate any significant scoring opportunities, allowing the Devils to kill the penalty with ease as the game returned to five-on-five. Gradually, the Devils began to assert themselves more, adopting a different style of play that seemed to frustrate the Dynamos. Chances for both teams became few and far between.
At 28:49, Scott for the Dynamos was awarded a two-minute penalty for hooking, giving the Devils another power play. However, Windebank made a couple of excellent saves, and with solid defensive work, the Devils couldn’t capitalise, and the penalty expired.
The game then became more end-to-end, with shots from Prentice and Connolly for the Dynamos and Lackey and Cackett for the Devils both being well saved by Taylor and Windebank, respectively, keeping the score at 2-0 in favour of the home team.
At 37:20, Lock from the Devils was called for hooking, and the Dynamos took advantage of the ensuing power play. Just nine seconds later, at 37:29, Connolly scored his second of the evening, assisted by Ranson and Thune, extending the lead to 3-0.
Shortly after, at 38:09, a flicked puck up the ice from Hutchison for the Devils bounced awkwardly in front of Windebank. The puck slipped through his pads and trickled into the net, with an assist to Buckle, reducing the deficit to 3-1. The period ended shortly afterward.
Period 3
The third period began with both teams adopting a more offensive approach. An early opportunity for Scott saw the Dynamos scramble for the puck on the rebound, but unfortunately, they couldn’t find a stick to redirect it, and the puck was cleared away. Shots from Connolly and Worthy once again tested Taylor, who was in excellent form, making crucial saves to keep the net intact. Meanwhile, the Devils’ attempts from Peacock and Coleman were thwarted by Windebank’s sharp saves in the Dynamos’ net.
At 51:28, Ranson was called for roughing, giving the Devils a power play. Despite some promising shots from Murray and Coleman, Windebank made some great saves to keep the score unchanged. The Dynamos then launched a quick counterattack, and at 52:58, Gatenby scored past Taylor on a well-executed 2-on-1 break, following a smart setup from Connolly. This short-handed goal extended the Dynamos’ lead to 4-1.
The penalty kill was successful, and the Dynamos continued to press for another goal, with shots from Pywell, Gatenby, and Connolly all being well saved by Taylor. The Devils also had a great chance when Coleman skated clear, but Windebank made a brilliant save to deny him.
At 56:37, Eeles received a 2-minute minor for charging. The Devils took a timeout to regroup, but despite sustained pressure, they couldn’t capitalise on the power play. The Dynamos returned to full strength and maintained their lead for the remainder of the game, which concluded with a 4-1 victory. The Dynamos now hold a three-goal advantage heading into the away leg in Solent on Sunday. This was a well-deserved win for the home side, though Taylor’s outstanding goaltending kept the game closer than it might have been. Man of the match for the Devils was Hutchison, while Connolly’s superb performance earned him the Man of the Match award for the Dynamos
Written by Jon Akers
Photos icyphotography
Highlights Editing Freya McCune