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The first game of 2026 featured the Swindon Wildcats 2 visiting Gillingham for a league match. The Wildcats travelled with a roster of 20 players, while the Dynamos had 18, though their squad was affected by several suspensions, most notably Connolly, Lillis, and Windebank, following the pre-Christmas game against Slough. That game also resulted in coach Karl Lennon being suspended from the bench. The referee for the evening was Solovkovs, assisted by Myrsikov and an additional official. Starting in goal were Thomas for the Wildcats and Divall for the Dynamos. With both teams lined up, the game was about to get underway.
Period 1
Period 1 began with the Dynamos quickly establishing an offensive presence, with Thune and Strawson testing Thomas in the Wildcats’ goal. However, it was the visitors who struck first at 2:31, when Lee skated in front of the net and shot past Divall, with assists from Harding and Taylor, making it 0-1. The home side responded swiftly, creating good scoring opportunities for Tombs and Thune, both of which were saved by Thomas.
At 8:46, the first penalty of the night was called when Wildcats’ Stone was assessed two minutes for holding. During the ensuing power play, the Dynamos had some chances but were unable to capitalise on the extra man, and the Wildcats returned to full strength. The home team continued to look the more threatening offensively, with chances for Laming (guesting from the Mustangs) and Worthy, both of which were again well-saved by Thomas in the visitors’ net.
The period ended with the visitors frustrating the home side and holding a 1-0 lead as they headed into the second period.
Period 2
In Period 2, the Dynamos came out determined to tie the game and started the period with greater urgency, with an early chance for Ranson that was well saved by Thomas. The visitors gradually began to find their rhythm, leading to more end-to-end action and neutral ice play. The Dynamos continued to look the more likely team to score, with shots from Gatenby (twice), Jackson, and Tombs all testing the Wildcats’ goalkeeper and coming close. A notable opportunity for Laming was brilliantly stopped once again by Thomas in the Wildcats’ net.
As the period progressed, the game became increasingly scrappy from both sides, which seemed to favour the visitors. They extended their lead at 36:18 when, on a 2-on-1 break, Harding was found in front and shot past Divall, assisted by Taylor and Burnett. This further frustrated the home team. The period concluded without any further significant action, leaving the Wildcats ahead 2-0 as they headed into the final period.
Period 3
The final period began with the home side eager to get back into the game. Early shots from Gatenby and Prentice were once again thwarted by Thomas in the visitors’ net, while a promising breakaway for the Wildcats was effectively handled by Divall in the Dynamos’ goal. The Dynamos continued to look more threatening but struggled to find an opening; a particularly strong shift from Oliver deserved a goal, but the Wildcats held firm defensively.
At 49:13, the Dynamos finally broke through when Pascale fired home, assisted by Jackson and Prentice, narrowing the gap to 1-2 with half the period remaining. The game then became predominantly one-way traffic, with the home side applying intense pressure. Shots from Thune and Gatenby came close, while efforts from Laming and Jackson were expertly saved by Thomas. In the final minute, the home team pulled their goalie for an extra skater, with Yeates coming close to tying the game. However, they were ultimately unable to find the equaliser, and the visitors secured the win with a 2-1 scoreline.
Thomas’s outstanding performance in net for the Wildcats frustrated the home side throughout the game. The absence of Coach Lennon and Captain Connolly likely contributed to the disappointing result. Man of the match for the Wildcats was Thomas, while Pascale earned the honours for the Dynamos.
Written by Jon Akers
Photo JD Photography