Invicta Dynamos fell to an overtime defeat in a hard-fought battle with Slough Jets as they lost 5-4.

Dynamos were without Dale Buckland and Brandon Webster, but Gregor McAllen joined the line up once again. Arran Strawson returned to the line-up after signing back with the Gillingham club for his eighth season. Slough Jets missed Adam Rosbottom, Timo Lindgren and Luke Reynolds.

The Dynamos won the opening faceoff and began their attack. Conor Redmond was sent to the penalty box soon after for a two-minute hooking penalty. Harrison Lillis quickly joined him in the box with a hooking penalty.

It was an early powerplay for the visitors as Sam Talbot took his first shot on netminder John Dibble. Dibble knocked the puck away into the corner.

Back to full strength and the Dynamos forwards charged into the Slough zone. Jake Stedman chased the puck round the back of the net, passed the puck to Elliot Farrell along the boards. Farrell passed to Filip Sedivy who took a shot on Matthew Smital but the netminder threw his body in the way.

Dynamos opened the scoring with a goal at 7:31. Farrell received the pass from Sedivy. Farrell shot the puck from the right circle and into the top corner of the net.

Jets defenceman, Liam Clark was sent to the box for a two-minute hooking penalty.

On the powerplay and the Dynamos pinned the visitors in their own end for the full two minutes. Juraj Huska and Tom Davis tried for the second goal of the night but Smital saved every time.

Slough got their first goal of the night as Talbot shot the puck off the far post and it bounced into the net. Goal for the Jets scored at 15:10.

The visitors received another powerplay as Arran Strawson was sent to the penalty box for two-minutes. Dan Rose quickly scored their second goal at 16:26 as he sent the puck flying past Dibble with a blue line slapshot.

End of the first period and the visitors led 1-2.

Second period began and Anthony Leone was soon sent to the box for a two-minute slashing penalty.

The penalty kill soon turned to a 4-on-4 play as Slough defenceman, Matt Jordan received a two-minute hooking penalty.

On his home debut back at Gillingham, Strawson sent the puck flying towards Smital and beyond the netminder. The game was all tied up 2-2 at 21:39.

Rose attempted to score the third goal for the visitors, but Dibble covered. Rose stopped close to the netminder and sent snow into his face. Lillis confronted the forward, but the officials were quick to split the pair.

Forward Talbot attempted a shot on Dibble. He picked up the rebound, skated behind the net and flicked the puck towards the empty side of the net. But the puck hit the post and flew into the corner.

Dynamos youngster Owen Dell skated into the slot and fired a shot into the back of the net. The Dynamos were in the lead after 38:23.

Not even 30 seconds later, Huska slammed a slapshot beyond Smital giving the Dynamos a 4-2 lead.

The third period had barely started when Slough scored their third goal of the night at 41:13 as Talbot flicked the puck over Dibble’s pads.

Both teams became even more physical. Lillis skated back as two Jets skated into the zone. The Dynamos defenceman slide between the two and blocked their pass.

Slough tried to equalise several times but never managed to get the puck past Dibble.

Sedivy received two-minute cross-checking penalty just two and a half minutes before the end of the game.

Slough called a timeout and returned with six players as Smital remained on the bench.

Six-on-four play led to Slough equalising 4-4 at 57:56 as Handisides knocked the rebound of a blue line slapshot beyond the netminder.

Frustration from both teams caused confusion on the Slough bench as they saw two many men on the ice. The officials blew the whistle and the Dynamos received a powerplay with 30 seconds remaining of regulation time.

After a full 60 minutes, the score remained 4-4 so overtime begun.

Dynamos still on the powerplay so added an extra man to the 3-on-3 overtime. Huska tried for the winning goal but it hit the pad of the netminder. Ryan Morgan attempted to put in the rebound but Smital knocked the puck into the corner.

Talbot received a pass on the blue line and skated towards the Dynamos zone. Strawson skated alongside him attempting to knock the forward off the puck. Talbot shot the puck at Dibble who covered. But the puck became loose and Talbot skated it round Dibble and into the net, scoring the winning goal for the visitors.

The Dynamos lost out on the two points as the visitors took home the 5-4 win. The Dynamos defence was stronger than during the two pre-season friendly games against the Jets but was not quite enough to keep them at bay.

Pictures supplied by Dave Trevallion.