The Invicta Dynamos signed 2015 in style as they thrashed London Raiders 7-1 in Gillingham on Sunday night.

Kevin Parrish’s side went into the game having beaten Bracknell Hornets 4-3 the night before and with Callum Fowler back icing at home. There was also a welcome return from suspension for Eriks Ozollapa as the Dynamos took to the ice with an almost fully fit roster.

It was clear from the off that the game was likely to be feisty with previous games between the two teams this season proving to be battles.

This was to be no exception and the Dynamos took full advantage of a powerplay in the 7th minute and it could be no other than Fowler that opened the scoring. The diminutive forward linked up well with Steve Osman and applied the finishing touch to give the Kent side the lead.

Less than three minutes later and it was 2-0, this time the Dynamos going against the odds and scoring a shorthanded goal. Once again it was Fowler that was to get his name on the scoresheet. Raiders netminder Michael Gray left his crease to recover the puck, Fowler stole it from him and slammed the puck home.

The remainder of the first period provided end to end action for the bumper crowd, but it was at the break that most of the action came as fans tossed hundreds of teddy bears onto the ice.

This was a great initiative by everyone involved with the Dynamos as all were bagged up and will be taken to Demelza Hospice Care for Children on Christmas Eve.

After the break, normal service was resumed as the Dynamos look to lay down a marker to their opponents, who came back with some aggressive ice hockey.

The flashpoint in the second period came in the 35th minute as Liam Chong was ruled to have flattened Joshua Condren with an elbow and that was the end of his game, causing a five minute and match penalty for the Raiders man.

That was to be the last the Dynamos fans saw of Condren on the ice for the night as it later transpired he was suffering from mild concussion.

Taking full advantage of the numerical superiority, the Dynamos stretched their lead further in the last five minutes of the period. Firstly Ondrej Zosiak controlled the puck from Conor Redmond before tucking it under Gray’s legs.

Less than a minute later and it was 4-0 when Osman followed up an Ozollapa shot to the delight of the home support who began to sit a lot easier in their seats.

The final period proved to be much like the previous two with the Dynamos largely in control, but it was the Raiders that scored next in the 48th minute with Marek Nahlik setting up Mason Webster to score from close range.

Just before the fifty minute mark the Dynamos restored their four goal advantage and this time it was captain Nicky Lewis getting himself on the scoresheet from a powerplay with Zosiak setting him free and the Invicta man did the rest.

Ninety seconds later and Osman added his second of the night after more great work from Fowler and Ozollapa.

With the game fast skating away from them, the Raiders made it clear they weren’t going down without a fight and that’s what happened in the 54th minute when Webster and Harrison Lillis traded blows after tangling.

The night however was capped in the 57th minute when the Dynamos made it 7-1 and it could be no other than Fowler that secured his hat-trick with the simplest of fnishes after more great work from Osman and Ozollapa.

There was still time for one last fight though. With just sixteen seconds left on the clock, Gray took it upon himself to lay into Jack Lee behind his goal and after some trading of punches, the tension dropped and the game could come to its conclusion.

In the end, the scoreboard was to read 7-1 to the Dynamos – a result that sees the Kent side go into their Christmas break second in the league.

It’s a long three week wait for the Dynamos fans to see their team in action once again as they face Bracknell Hornets in Gillingham on Sunday 10th January after their game at Wightlink the night before was postponed.

Callum Fowler was named man of the match after the game and you can listen to our exclusive interview with him here:

https://audioboom.com/boos/3980480-callum-fowler-after-the-invicta-dynamos-beat-london-raiders-7-1