The Invicta Dynamos threw away a three goal lead to lose to league leaders Chelmsford Chieftains on Sunday night.
It looked like it was going to be the perfect Valentines night for the Kent side as they raced into a 3-0 lead in the opening period, but there was no love lost and a crucial fight seemed to be the turning point in the game that the Essex side came back to win 4-3.
Having battled hard and lost 4-2 at Wightlink Raiders the night before, the Dynamos wanted to prove they could mix it with the best of them and it certainly seemed to be the case as they were three in front in the opening twenty minutes.
Only missing brothers Bailey, Taylor and Haydn Wootton, the Dynamos had an almost full strength roster, whilst the Chieftains arrived in Gillingham without the suspended Charlie Phillips and former Dynamos import Juraj Huska who is in Canada.
It was to be an electrifying opening period and the hard hitting Chieftains played right into the Dynamos hands with the home side the brighter of the two teams.
The ninth minute saw the deadlock finally broken as Arran Strawson’s powerful drive from the blue line deflected off Ross Brears and past Euan King in the Chelmsford goal.
Just seventeen seconds more has gone when it was 2-0 – again Strawson the scorer from a very similar position.
Sensing they were going to get a beating, Chelmsford called a timeout and it proved to be critical as they came out all guns blazing and started putting in even bigger hits.
The culmination saw former Dynamo go toe to toe with Eriks Ozollapa with the Invicta import unable to remove his gloves in a scrap that went on far too long, whilst the officials stood back and did nothing when they should have stepped in for the prolonged affair.
With both players off the ice serving penatlies, the Dynamos made it 3-0 as Strawson set up Steve Osman to fire home, much to the delight of the home faithful.
At 3-0 up going into the second, the Dynamos were probably aware that they’d face a Chelmsford backlash and the Essex side took just over two minutes to pull a goal back, Olegs Lascenko firing past Damien King.
Despite sustained pressure from the Dynamos, they couldn’t add to their tally and it was to be 3-2 in the 33rd minute as Ross Brears gratefully picked up the puck in front of goal and tucked it home.
With the score still 3-2 going into the final frame, the game was well and truly still in the balance with both sides playing some great ice hockey.
The crucial goal came in the 48th minute and it went the way of Chelmsford as Brears went through the Dynamos defence before firing past a luckless King.
Again it was back on a knife egde and both sides pressed for that winning goal, with neither side prepared to settle for the draw.
Ultimately the game went the way of the Chieftains as Phillips thundered home from the blue line with little over four minutes left on the clock, with King unsighted in the Dynamos goal.
The Dynamos tried all they could in the final minutes to get something from a game they should have taken at least a point from, but in the end it wasn’t to be and despite all their efforts, they’d make it a weekend to forget without any points.
Defeat leaves the Dynamos second in the NIHL South whilst Chelmsford are now just a few victories away from sealing another league title.
Head Coach Kevin Parrish will now need to pick his players back up for a trip to Cardiff NIHL Devils on Saturday night for the league clash before returning to Gillingham on Sunday evening to take on the London Raiders in the South East Trophy clash.
On reflection, the Dynamos came up short against the side clearly to be Champions elect and should take great credit from running them so close. Every Dynamos fan will have gone home from the game proud of what their side had produced on the night.
Man of the match on the night for the Dynamos went to Arran Strawson and we caught up with him after the game. To listen to our exclusive interview, click here: