Lee Valley Lions

Slough ENL Jets

Goals

Penalties

Lee Valley Lions

Slough ENL Jets

Additional Comments:

Regular spectators of the Lee Valley Lions since they reformed two seasons ago must have thought they were at the wrong venue on Saturday night! The performance from the team that skated out, although containing many familiar faces from last season, was as different as chalk and cheese to those the crowd had become used to.

In a match described by many regulars as “the best game they had seen since the Lions came back,” they demolished the team from Slough. The final scoreline of 6–2 does not really reflect the domination of the team from the East End of London. The goalie from Slough had an outstanding game as he denied the Lions on good scoring opportunities on countless occasions and probably should have won their “Man of the Match” award.

The Lions certainly started in very positive fashion, outplaying their visitors for most of the first period. The 1-1 scoreline after twenty minutes of play did not reflect their domination, but Slough’s goalie had an outstanding session, keeping the visitors in the match as they spent long periods in the penalty box. After seeing many efforts saved or just flashing past the net, Stas Prokofiev put the home team in front just shy of the thirteen minute mark. The visitors, against the run of play, drew level at 18:20 with a neatly executed goal from Russell Stevens.

Period two followed the same pattern and although Lee Valley sat for more penalty minutes, they still dominated and finished two goals ahead. Joe Berry scored a great solo goal, collecting the puck in the corner and cutting in before beating a flailing  netminder. The Lions had to kill a 5-on-3 situation for nearly two minutes when both Alastair Band and Richard Smith were in the box, but the Lions’ penalty-killing unit worked well, holding Slough at bay, with George Alley in the Lions’ goal being peppered with pucks at one point. The gap should have been greater as there were two goal mouth scrambles, but the home team just couldn’t squeeze the puck home. Finally, when killing another penalty, James Hatfull split the Slough team with a tape-to-tape pass to Scott Beeson who was clear of the defence, and he raced forward to score top shelf short-handed.

Maybe the Lions were relishing in their newfound confidence, but they started the final session a bit too relaxed. They were punished early in the period as Slough pulled the match score back to 3–2 with a relatively soft goal, as for the first time in the evening, netminder Alley was exposed at the back. This was probably just the jolt the team needed as they went on a scoring spree. Just three minutes later, two new Lions combined as JJ McGrath had a great attempt on goal denied but the puck rebounded to Nick Alley (brother of Lions’ goalie, George) who had no trouble finding the net. Fans had their heads in their hands as Joe Berry was denied a second, when a goal was washed out due to there being a player in the goal crease.

We were then treated to the goal of the game as Scott Beeson flew down the left wing and put a centering pass right on the stick of Nick Alley who was crashing the net, a deft flick left the Slough netminder sprawling with the net billowing behind him. Just under two minutes later, the fans were treated to a very rare sight in Ice Hockey, as Man of the Match, Nick Alley, completed a “natural hat trick” – three consecutive goals by the same player – again assisted by Scott Beeson.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable match which left fans wanting more, and wondering just how good it can get. The team have after all, only played two games and will gel even better as the season progresses.

Referee was Evans, Linesmen were Tottman and McGill.

Thanks to Tony Boot for writing this match report.