Lee Valley Lions

Invicta Dynamos

Goals

Penalties

Lee Valley Lions

Invicta Dynamos

Additional Comments:

Travelling down to Kent to play Invicta, the ENIHL champions of the last four seasons, was never going to be an easy task. As George Alley said in his programme column, “Lee Valley would have to skate their backsides off if they wanted a result” and this proved to be the case, although in the early stages an upset looked on the cards.

Putting aside the disastrous result against Basingstoke the previous evening, the Lions came out firing on all cylinders and had the Kentish team on the backfoot early on.  Invicta’s Damien Welch struck a blow to the head of young Stas Prokofiev and was given a match penalty within the first two minutes of the game. Fortunately Prokofiev didn’t retaliate and Lee Valley pressed home their advantage.

Constant pressure resulted in a goal four and a half minutes into the five minute major penalty, with Stas Prokofiev exacting revenge by producing his first of two goals. Under a minute later, with Invicta back at full strength, a defence-splitting pass from inside his zone by captain Scott Pollak put the puck on the stick of Nick Alley. Alley left ex-Lions netminder Glen Jackson grasping at air as the net billowed behind him. It’s rare that the Invicta crowd are quiet during any game, but as quoted on their forum “you could hear a pin drop” for the next six minutes as the Lions continued to defy the form book and comfortably held the Dynamos at bay.

All good things come to an end and with a man advantage Invicta started their comeback. Over the next 41 seconds they scored three goals – one powerplay, one even-handed and one short-handed. They added a forth just before the break, despite Lions’ claims for an interference penalty as a key D-man had his stick held between the legs of an opposition player who was down on the ice. It seemed likely this would take the wind out of the Lions’ sails.

Period two was a tense, closely-fought affair (although the real thing was to follow later), with just one penalty being served by Invicta for interference. However, Lee Valley fans were incensed that the punishment was not harsher, as the call was for a late hit after the whistle had been blown. The home side added a fifth goal half way through and although the period was nearly even in scoring, it seemed to many present that Lee Valley were killing penalties, as Invicta were camped in their zone for much of the session, easily controlling possession.

The Dynamos continued to rub salt in the wound with four more goals in the next nine minutes, including a penalty shot goal and two powerplays, as Lee Valley suffered a bout of penalties, some of which were considered harsh by fans and players alike. After the ninth goal, coach Smolenko decided to give the Lions’ young back-up goalie, Andrew Boot, the last eleven minutes of the game.

Boot didn’t get much time to acclimatise as Invicta scored four minutes later on a powerplay as Paul O’Neill sat in the penalty box for tripping. While killing another penalty, the Lee Valley fans at last had something to celebrate as Michael Ranby released Stas Prokofiev to break against the run of play to score a great shorthanded goal.

It was then that the “fun” started… Invicta’s Matt Drake pulled Nick Alley head-first onto the ice, causing Alastair Band to stand up for his team-mate and the first fight ensued. Band then aggravated the situation by gesturing to the crowd. This caused a lot of heated discussions between the players and two more skirmishes commenced, Joe Berry against a tag team of Dynamos and a one-on-one fight involving James Hatfull. Some players from both benches committed the cardinal sin of leaving their benches, albeit for peace-keeping purposes, and were also punished.

When the dust settled some of the penalties awarded were considered strange to say the least, as Band received his for leaving the bench even although he was actually involved in the first fracas. The final outcome was that Lee Valley were shorthanded once again. The powerplay unit of Invicta opened up the Lee Valley box defence for a forward to hit a bullet slaphot past Boot from close range and the final score was 11–3.

The resulting penalties will mean that the Lions will be two players short for their next game as James Hatfull and Joe Berry received Match penalties, although they will be bolstered by the return of Romanas Fedotovas.

Referee was Rafter, Linesmen/women were Shrubsole and Harris.

Thanks to Tony Boot for writing this match report.