A hat-trick from Canadian Ryan Ellis, alongside braces from Andy Smith and returnee Callum Fowler, and efforts by Callum Best, Ryan Giles and Daniel Fudger saw the Invicta Dynamos thump the Milton Keynes Thunder 10-4 away from home on Saturday evening.
In the opening frame the Dynamos initially struggled to get to grips with the larger ice pad but they still drew first blood as club captain Andy Smith fired them in front in the fourteenth minute. An icing infringement then gave the hosts a spell with the extra man and, on the powerplay, they pulled level with ‘import’ Maros Stefanco beating Andy Moffat to make it 1-1.
The visitors restored their edge in the closing seconds of the period however, as Callum Fowler slotted beyond David Cassidy for a goal on his first game back with the team that secured a slender lead. In the second frame the Dynamos then firmly established control and tallied six without reply to effectively seal the two points.
Three minutes in, Callum Fowler was again on target as his second of the night made it 3-1 before, less than sixty seconds later, Ryan Giles hit home for the three goal cushion. Ryan Ellis was the next to add his name to the game sheet as he too beat David Cassidy to take the score to 5-1 and Callum Best quickly joined him with the team’s sixth of the evening soon after.
Moments later major fallout then followed when the Thunder’s 20 year old forward Jack Robinson brought an end to a minor altercation with Alastair Band by spearing his opponent high in the jaw. Band was left in need of medical attention whilst Robinson was giving his marching orders and dispatched from the tie but not before Grant Baxter chased him down seeking retribution.
When the action finally restarted the Dynamos continued to boss the play and efforts from Andy Smith and Daniel Fudger had them out of sight and 8-1 ahead with forty minutes gone.
In the final period the Thunder rallied briefly and three quick goals saw them claim the momentum. Connor Goode put away their second of the evening, Tom Mboya took their tally to three and Jamie Randall had cut the deficit to 8-4 with sixteen minutes still on the clock. However, a shorthanded strike from Ryan Ellis, followed by another goal from the Canadian close to time, ensured the Dynamos had the final say on the night and completed a resounding 10-4 win.
So it was a road victory in Milton Keynes and Head Coach Kevin Parrish will have been pleased with the result given that his side managed just a draw and a defeat on their travels against the Thunder last term. Man of the match awards on the night went to Rob McGregor of the hosts, with the netminder replacing the injured David Cassidy midway through the tie, whilst captain Andy Smith secured the honours for the Dynamos for the third time in five games.
Picture supplied by David Trevallion