The Invicta Dynamos’ season ended in play-off final defeat to a determined Wightlink Raiders side on Sunday night.

Kevin Parrish’ side went into the second leg of the game trailing 3-2 after the first match on the Isle of Wight saw a tight game edged by the Raiders.

With a packed house at the Silver Blades in Gillingham, there was a sense of anticipation as the Dynamos looked to pick up their second piece of silverware for the season.

However, Wightlink clearly hadn’t read the script and it was to be a game that swung one way and then the other all evening.

It was the Dynamos that opened the scoring as early as the 4th minute when captain Anthony Leone glided down the ice before firing home.

With the scores back level on aggregate, the visitors found themselves with a 5 on 3 powerplay and they made full advantage in the 7th minute as Corey Watkins beat Mark Lee in the Dynamos goal.

Five minutes later and the Raiders took the lead as Owen Griffiths committed Lee and fired home.

The Dynamos weren’t to be denied though and two minutes before the first break they pulled level on the night as they made the most of a powerplay with Billy Phillips thundering home from the blue line.

The second period proved to be a cagey affair with both netminders called into action on a regular basis, with the first goal coming in the 30th minute and it was to be the Dynamos that scored it when Callum Fowler rounded off a great move involving Michal Oravec to make it 3-2 on the night and 5-5 on aggregate.

Joy turned to despair less than a minute later though as Jaroslav Cesky pulled it back to 3-3 and after some minor flare ups, the Raiders edged in front on the night just before the break when Ryan Webb fired home.

Two goals down going into the final period, the Dynamos were forced into sending more men forward as they looked to get back into the game, but were to be denied time and time again by a resolute Raiders defence.

A Michal Oravec penalty shot in the 54th minute summed up the Dynamos night as he hoisted it over the bar.

Just over a minute later and the Dynamos were made to pay as Wightlink made it 5-3 on the night when Stephen Balmer scored with the puck coming off the back of Lee and into the net.

With Lee pulled, the Dynamos clawed it back to 5-4 when Arran Strawson fired home with 62 seconds left on the clock to set up a thrilling finale, but it was to be the Raiders that were to score the final goal of the game.

As Lee watched on having been pulled once more, the puck came the way of Cesky and he fired down the ice and into the unguarded net to make it 6-4 on the night and 9-5 on aggregate.

So it wasn’t to be for a Dynamos side that gave it their all.

In the end, it was the visiting side that lifted the trophy, but the Dynamos will go away and contemplate a season that has seen them come second in the league, win the cup and come runners up in the play-offs.

All in all, it has been a great season for the club and fans will reflect on probably the best campaign for a number of years.

Players will come and go throughout the summer and September seems a long way off, but one thing is for sure, most of the fans will be back for an adrenalin fix.

The season is capped with the Player of the Year awards night on Friday 24th April at Upchurch Golf Course.

To listen to our exclusive interview with Kevin Parrish from after the game, click here: