A 7-3 win over the Romford Raiders in Gillingham on Sunday evening saw the Invicta Dynamos get revenge for losing 24 hours earlier.
They quickly dismissed the disappointment of a cup loss in Essex the night before as goals from Andy Smith (2), Peter Vaisanen (2), Nicky Lewis, Tyrone Miller and Callum Fowler saw the side secure two league points.
After shipping nine goals the night before, the Dynamos could be forgiven for making a tentative start back on home ice with the first period generating more penalty minutes than genuine goalscoring opportunities.
In fact neither side were able to break the deadlock – Romford coming closest with a strike that was washed out with the puck judged not to have crossed the line despite premature celebrations from import Juraj Huska.
Justin Noble came closest for the hosts – his slapshot from close left finding the body of shot stopper Shane Kemp – whilst returning netminder Andy Moffat also made his mark on the tie by thwarting the venomous drive of Danny Marshall after the Romford supremo had escaped on the breakaway. As a result the opening frame would finish as it had started – with the score level at 0-0.
After a first period in which the two sides had shared fourteen minutes worth of penalties, the Raiders were first to fall foul of the two officials in the second – Grant Taylor being seated for interference five minutes in. He would serve just eight seconds – Tyrone Miller finding Peter Vaisanen in space on the back of the right circle and the Canadian making the most of a clear shot at the target by dispatching a slapshot into the top far corner to bring an end to the powerplay.
A holding minor to Callum Fowler then saw the man advantage swap sides and the visitors secured the leveller – Julian Smith’s through pass allowing Matt Turner to roof over Andy Moffat from out wide to make it 1-1.
It seemed little could separate the sides until, midway through, a sublime Peter Vaisanen goal then restored the Dynamos’ edge. The import forward went coast-to-coast, beating all five of Romford’s skaters – one in his own zone, two in the neutral zone and another pair in the final third – before skipping in from the right and slotting high inside the near post to complete a stunning individual strike. Unfortunately for the hosts, five minutes later, it was then cancelled out in controversial fashion.
Matt Turner’s drive from close range was beaten away by Andy Moffat but the netminder was then involved in a frantic goalmouth scramble which ended with the shot stopper trying to freeze the play on his own goal line. After a minute of dialogue, the match officials decided his attempts were unsuccessful and Julian Smith was credited with a scrappy equaliser for the visitors.
Far from letting their heads drop though, the Dynamos continued to push forward and they reaped their rewards in the dying moments. With eleven seconds remaining, Callum Fowler and Andy Smith broke up the ice on a 2-on-1 – Fowler drawing the defenceman out wide before centring to Smith in the middle who used his backhand to flick into the top left corner from right in front to stop the clock at 39.54. It was a valuable go-ahead goal that would send the teams back to the changing rooms with the hosts 3-2 up.
In the final period another quick counter would provide the Dynamos the two goal cushion as Andy Smith put the puck in the net within four minutes of the restart. A breakout pass from Callum Fowler sent the club’s captain down the left boards and, with the Romford defence clawing at his back, he skipped in from the channel and slotted in at the near post at point blank range to make it 4-2.
The Raiders retained an interest in the tie though, when they replied on the powerplay soon after to cut their deficit to one. With Fowler seated for hooking, AJ Smith stabbed home on the rebound from close left after following up Matt Turner’s drive from the out on the wing – the former Dynamo beating Andy Moffat to make it 4-3.
Unfortunately for the visitors, another Dynamo of the past then played a role in cancelling out that effort as David Oliver’s hooking penalty saw him scheduled for a two minute timeout. Whilst Oliver sat watching, Tyrone Miller raced onto a loose puck just in front of the blue line to dispatch a venomous slapshot low into the corner of the net beyond Shane Kemp – Miller claiming his first goal for the side against the club with whom he made his name.
By now the hosts were in command and the decisive sixth came four minutes from time – once again with the extra man. This time Matt Turner was the Romford skater reduced to the role of spectator as Callum Fowler smashed home from close left, knocking the water bottle from the frame in the progress for the substantial 6-3 edge.
With time winding down it was now merely a case of how many for the Dynamos and the answer would prove to be seven as the hosts added one more – Nicky Lewis travelling down the right wing before catching Shane Kemp by surprise with a wrister from deep that flew over the netminder’s shoulder to seal a 7-3 win.
It was two league points for the Dynamos then who completed a Jekyll and Hyde weekend by dismissing a night to forget in Romford with an excellent display in a night to remember against the same opposition in Gillingham.
Returning netminder Andy Moffat was the man of the match for the hosts, having looked like he’d never been away, whilst Matt Turner took the accolade for the visitors.
Picture supplied by David Trevallion