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The Dynamos hosted the Solent Devils in Gillingham for a league encounter, a matchup traditionally marked by close, hard-fought battles. Both teams faced some absences of key players; the Devils arrived with 18 skaters, while the Dynamos iced 17. The officiating team was led by referee Solovjovs, with assistance from Hill and Bracken. Between the pipes, Taylor guarded the net for the Devils, and Windebank for the Dynamos. As the teams assembled for the national anthem, the stage was set and ready for puck drop.
Period 1
The game opened with the Dynamos asserting early pressure, which paid off at 00:53 when Connolly pounced on a scramble in front of the Solent net to poke the puck home. Assists went to Ranson and Prentice, giving Invicta a 1-0 lead. Following the goal, the Dynamos continued to push forward, creating chances for Connolly, Ranson, and Thune, but Taylor stood firm in goal, denying any further increase in the home side’s lead.
Invicta remained the more dominant team, and at 11:07, the Devils levelled the score. Nekrosevicius scored, assisted by Coleman and Osman, making it 1-1. The game intensified around the 15-minute mark when Lillis received a double minor, two minutes for interference and two for roughing, while Stokes (Invicta) and Martin and Perella-Fox (Devils) also took roughing penalties.
Capitalising on the power play, Buckle put the Devils ahead at 16:35, assisted by Coleman and Murray, to make it 2-1. The Dynamos responded swiftly, earning a power play at 17:09 when Kennington was penalised for holding. Just 8 seconds later, at 17:17, Thune found the net from Gatenby’s pass, with O’Neil providing the secondary assist, tying the game at 2-2. No further scoring occurred before the first period ended, leaving the teams deadlocked in a frantic, hard-fought opening frame.
Period 2
Period 2 began with both teams eager to seize control of the game. Early on, at 21:22, a minor penalty was called on both sides. O’Neil for the Dynamos for Roughing and Murray for the Devils for Holding, though the game remained at 5-on-5. The Dynamos continued to look the more threatening, with shots from Lillis and Stokes saved by Taylor in the Devils’ net.
They earned a power play when Lock was penalised for tripping at 23:00 but despite pressuring the visitors defence they couldn’t create any clear chances and the penalty was killed by the Devils. Further close chances came from Chard, Tombs, Pascale, and Connolly but to no avail. The Dynamos kept pressing, while at the other end, Coleman almost broke free for the Devils. However, a strong defensive effort from the Dynamos thwarted his attempt, preventing a clear shot on Windebank.
As the period drew to a close, the Devils drew a late penalty when, at 39:20, Wedge was assessed a two-minute slashing penalty. Despite the ensuing power play, neither side scored, and the game remained tied at 2-2 as the second period ended.
Period 3
Period 3 began with the Dynamos looking to capitalise on the remaining power play, but the Devils successfully kept them at bay and play soon returned to even strength. Invicta continued to be the more threatening side, and at 43:59, they took the lead. A superb pass from Pywell found Thune in front of the net, and he fired the puck beneath Taylor, with Pascale earning the secondary assist, making it 3-2 in favour of the Dynamos.
Inspired, the Dynamos increased their lead when, at 46:15, Thune completed his hat-trick with a fantastic finish over Taylor. Connolly picked up the assist, and the score now stood at 4-2. At 48:46, the Devils were awarded a penalty when Tombs was called for high sticks. Despite calling a timeout a minute later, they couldn’t break down the Dynamos’ solid defence, and the game returned to full strength.
The Devils kept pushing to get back into the contest, and a shot from Peacock beat Windebank but struck the post, keeping the puck out of the net. The Dynamos sealed their victory when, at 57:02, the impressive Connolly fired past Taylor, assisted by Thune and Stokes, to make it 5-2. The game ended with a well-deserved win for the home side.
An outstanding team performance from the Dynamos, highlighted by Thune’s hat-trick and Connolly’s exceptional all-around play, secured a comfortable victory in the end against a Devils team that appeared short-handed from their usual roster. Man of the Match honours went to Buckle for the Devils and Thune, the hat-trick hero, for the Dynamos.
Written by Jon Akers