Match Report – Sunday 22nd September 2024
Invicta Dynamos 2 v 4 Chelmsford Chieftains
Written by Jon Akers
In the second home league game of the season, the Invicta Dynamos welcomed their long-time rivals, the Chelmsford Chieftains, to Gillingham. This match marked the first encounter between the two teams this season, and the strong traveling support from Essex, alongside a vocal home crowd, looked set to create the vibrant atmosphere that these rivalries are known for. Both teams iced 19 players, with Invicta featuring a solid roster and the Chelmsford team list including everyone’s ‘favourite’ twin pairing, Cameron and Grant Bartlett. Referee Hewitt officiated the game, assisted by linesmen Billings and Hill. As the teams took to the ice, both sets of supporters created an energetic atmosphere, with starting goaltenders Rider for Invicta and Lawday for Chelmsford ready to kick off the action.
Period 1
With the rink rocking the period started at a frantic pace with both teams looking to set their stall out to try and get the upper hand early on. In the opening few minutes chances were created at either end but these were dealt with by both netminders, with a good double save from Rider probably the best of those. At 7.11 the first penalty of the game went to the Chieftains with the evergreen Lack sitting 2 minutes for tripping. The resulting powerplay saw the Dynamos with a few chances including a shot from Thune firing off the helmet of Lawday in net but eventually the penalty was successfully killed by the Chieftains. The halfway point of the period passed by with end-to-end play, but no real openings created by either side and the defences standing up well, Lawday the slightly busier netminder. The period was into the last two minutes when Lack went in on Rider and the resulting pushing and shoving concluded with penalties for Lack, who got 2 minutes for cross checking and 2 minutes for roughing, and Lillis also getting 2 minutes for roughing. Powerplay Dynamos. After a period of pressure, the Mos were rewarded when a mistake by Lawday. trying to cover the puck, resulted in the puck coming loose in front and Springer-Hughes took his chance, unassisted at 19.50. Dynamos saw out the final seconds of the period and headed into the break 1 goal to the good.
Period 2
The 2nd period started with the Chieftains looking to get back into the game which they duly did at 21.30 when a sloppy defensive error at the back from Dynamos saw Cameron Bartlett slotting in front, between the legs of Rider, assisted by brother Grant. The next few minutes saw Chelmsford getting on top of the Dynamos and restricting their attack from having any real threat and creating a few chances, the best of them being one for Barnes-Garner but Rider in the Dynamos net was up to the task. Against the run of play a quick break from O’Neil saw him combine down the right with Soar and fire in over Lawday’s shoulder to put Dynamos back in front at 28.39. This seemed to reignite the Dynamos who battled better, and the game was more even with half chances for both teams. At 33.49 after another bout of pushing and shoving, once again in front of the Dynamos net and once again involving Lack and Lillis, with a cross check on Lillis from Lack, both players had a talking to by the Referee and the gloves were dropped. Lack got the take down but it has since been announced that Lillis sustained a serious shoulder dislocation in the first few seconds of the tussle. Both players received 5 minutes for fighting and there was no call for the cross checking on Lillis. A coincidental penalty meant that the game continued with both teams at full strength on the ice. Play settled again after that and was end to end with a couple of openings for both sides but both keepers stood firm. With the period in the last two minutes Invicta took a penalty with a tripping call on Thune who took down Wells following a good run from the back, timed at 38.06. Invicta did well on the shorthand for the remainder of the penalty for that period and it ended with Invicta, once again, ahead by 1.
Period 3
Chelmsford started the final period with 6 seconds on the powerplay but couldn’t take advantage and Invicta returned to full strength. Not long later a scramble in front of the Chieftains net had some of the crowd thinking Invicta had scored and I am not sure how the puck didn’t go in but the light behind the goal stayed off. At 42.18 Burnett took a penalty and was called 2 minutes for tripping. Chelmsford equalised within a minute, King the scorer assisted by Power timed at 43.04. The next few minutes, once again, was end to end play with both teams striving for the go ahead goal. A great glove save by Lawday from a one-time shot from Colvin being the highlight. At 48.11 the Chieftains did take the lead for the first time in the game when a rebound in front of Rider’s net fell to Cameron Bartlett who netted his 2nd of the game, assisted by Lack and Grant Bartlett. This seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Dynamos and Chelmsford took control pinning the Dynamos in their own end and looking to extend their lead. The Dynamos couldn’t get the offence and were closed down easily by the Chieftain’s defence. An opportunity on the powerplay arose at 53.46 when King took 2 minutes for holding and the resulting powerplay gave the Dynamos a chance to push to tie the game but Lawday and the Chieftain’s defence held firm. The penalty was killed, and they were back to 5 skaters. Dynamos were pushing again to tie the game but couldn’t create any good chances, at 59.18 Chelmsford got their 4th goal with Grant Bartlett scoring unassisted with a shot through Rider’s glove. Invicta called a timeout and pulled Rider for the 6 on 4 in the final seconds but to no avail. The buzzer sounded and the Chieftains ran out 4 to 2 winners.
A great effort from the Dynamos ended with a close loss and, in my opinion, they probably deserved to have got at least a point from the game but Lawday in net for the Chieftains pulled off some very good saves to frustrate them. The last 10 minutes, and the Chieftains fresher legs, seemed to be the difference. Man of the match was Fay for Chieftains and Rider for Dynamos, with 43 saves on the night.
