The Invicta Dynamos put up a good show against EPL side Basingstoke Bison for the opening two periods of the English Challenge Cup fixture but finally fell to the class of higher league opposition in the third period.
Invicta were missing Grant Baxter, Callum Fowler and Mark Lee which meant once again Steve Nightingale took-up the responsibility of guarding the Invicta net following the recent departure of Chris Douglas.
The first period was the tightest period of the game, with the Dynamos successfully defending the first penalty awarded against them on 01:31 after Billy Phillips was penalised for slashing. The Dynamos could have even taken a shorthanded lead after Juraj Huska and Anthony Leone broke out of the defence zone with Huska shooting hard at netminder Dean Skinns, only for the netminder to kick away.
With 7:46 on the clock Billy Phillips took a seat in the penalty box once again after being called-up for a roughing charge. Again the Dynamos were successful in seeing out the penalty as Steve Nightingale stood firm in the net, including pulling-off an impressive stop from Ryan Sutton.
Andrew Melachrino was the next Bison play to shoot and find the glove of Steve Nightingale before the deadlock was finally broken on 11:43 after Brendan Baird shot from distance and Grant Rounding edged the shot past the glove of Steve Nightingale.
Steve Nightingale was again called into action to prevent both Kurt Reynolds and Tomas Karpov from increasing the lead before another penalty was awarded against the Dynamos, this time Elliott Dewey took a seat in the box for delaying the game on 17:38. The Dynamos successfully defended the two minutes and reward finally came their way on 19:18 as Adam McNicoll received a short pass from Nicky Lewis and shot past Dean Skinns to make the score 1-1 just before the end of the first period.
The Bison tested Steve Nightingale again early in the second period after Grant Rounding tipped a Rick Skene shot towards the Dynamos net. A hooking penalty against Steve Osman finally produced a Bison goal on 23:05 after Grant Rounding tapped home following a Nightingale padded save from Aaron Connolly.
Invicta turned the pressure the other way following a penalty call on Joe Baird for interference on Billy Phillips on 27:34 but the Bison stood firm to keep the score at 2-1. Penalties were then awarded against Tomas Karpov (32:29, 2 minutes for holding) and Billy Phillips (33:18, 2 minutes for slashing) before Adam McNicoll then received a 10+2 minute penalty on 35:16 for a check from behind on Tomas Karpov. It would be Tomas Karpov who increased the lead to 3-1 on 37:04 as he lifted his shot in crowded goal area past Nightingale.
Michael Wales paid a visit to the penalty box on 37:24 but a major turning point on 38:19 made the game much harder for the Dynamos as Juraj Huska received a 5+ match penalty for high sticks which drew blood from Grant Rounding. Luckily for the Dynamos, the match ban was later reduced to a game ban after Grant Rounding returned to the ice in the third period.
The third period was hard work for the Invicta Dynamos as Tomas Karpov (43:30), Michael Wales (44:39) and Ciaran Long (48:57) increased the score to 6-1. Tomas Karpov claimed his hat-trick and the Bison 7th goal on 50:43 after he was set-up by Grant Rounding to then lift the puck over Nightingale.
Michael Wales soon made it 8-1 on 52:34 as he tapped home from the back post. Charlie Phillips had a great opportunity to pull a goal back for the Dynamos soon after but his one on one with Dean Skinns came to nothing.
Aaron Connolly got on the score sheet at 54:32 after Karpov and Rounding assisted the 9th goal. Michael Wales then claimed his own hat-trick and Bison’s 10th goal on 55:52 after being assisted by Kurt Reynolds.
Man of the match awards were handed out to Elliott Dewey for the travelling Dynamos and Grant Rounding for the hosts. Steve Nightingale ended the night having faced 51 shots from the Bison.