It was a heart-breaking late defeat for the Dynamos when they played the MK Thunder at Milton Keynes on Sunday evening.

Coach Kevin Parrish was able to recall both netminder Damien King and forward Ashley Jackson to the roster that lost to the London Raiders the previous evening to boost the numbers. The first period was played at a fast pace at both ends of the ice pad, keeping the supporters at the edge of their seats.

The first decent chance of the game fell to Ashley Jackson after Louis Colvin found the Olympian in front of the home net with a great pass off the boards – unfortunately, the usually cool Jackson saw his shot saved by netminder home netminder Annetts.

Dynamos’ forward Brandon Websters charge at Rupert Quiney resulted in him sitting a 2+10 penalty but it was the Mos who almost opened the scoring on the shorthand – Ashley Jackson yet again working Annetts in the Thunder goal.

Damien King had his first bit of action a few seconds later, saving from Rio Grinell-Parke with the Mos returning to full strength seconds after the save. The opening goal finally came on 4:42 – Steve Osman tapping the puck back to captain Arran Strawson who had his resulting slapshot tipped beyond Annetts by Mason Webster for 1-0 to the Mos.

The Mos should have been confident to build on the slim lead a few minutes later when Gregg Randall’s hold on Hoang resulted in him sitting a 2 minute penalty – but the Thunder broke on the shorthand with Michael Stratford feeding from a Rupert Quiney pass and hitting a deflecting a shot past King for 1-1 on 7:52.

Another regulation save by Damien King kept Thunder’s captain Jamie Line at bay whilst at the other end Jackson and Colvin combined again with the former producing another save from Annetts.

The Mos ended the first period with 4 skaters after Mason Webster was judged to have slashed but the Mos defended their lines well to go into the interval tied at 1-1.

The second period started with the Mos succesfully finishing off the Webster penalty with no danger or action for King to be concerned about although a minute later the Mos’ netminder had to be alert to deny Stratford after Jame Line led a dangerous break which could have been worse for the Mos than what they got away with.

Both teams then had spells of defending minor penalties, first the Thunder via Greg Randall’s third penalty of the night, this time for delay of game and then the Mos’ Scott Bailey was pulled for an interference on Lewis Christie.

The Mos were now on the shorthand following the Bailey infringement but when Mason Webster won the puck in the middle of the Dynamos zone he fed a delightful pass through the middle of two Thunder defencemen for Ashley Jackson to race onto and beat Annetts for 2-1 to the Mos on 31:08.

Damien King was again called into action with a superb point blank save before Strawson at the other end saw another slapshot almost tipped by Steve Osman. Tempers flared on 38:41 when Mason Webster and Rupert Quiney exchanged words before dropping the gloves – with neither skater unable to throw a clean punch, the officials soon broke the pair up and gave them both 2+2 penalty minutes for fighting.

The final period commenced with the Mos looking to extend on their slim 2-1 lead and when Strawson won the puck and fed Bailey a Mos attack that finished with Zoisak hitting a deflected shot over the bar looked promising.

They again tried to scratch their 3rd goal on the board on the 45th minute with Ashley Jackson wrapping around the Thunder goal with Annetts getting down well at the back post to deny that all important goal.

The Mos were warned in the 48th minute with Rio-Parke again calling King into action but the Thunder finally drew level on 49:43 – Gareth O’Flaherty firing beyond King when the Mos should have done better clearing their lines.

So at 2-2 the game was really open and both teams taking to the task of grabbing that all important net goal. A few chances for the Mos continued to push the shot total up but it would be the Thunder who would grab the final game and break the hearts of the Dynamos fans – Tom Carlon grabbing the winner on 56:16 with the Mos on the shorthand after Tommy Ralph was penalised for hooking.

The Mos can take light from a spirited performance which saw them out shoot the Thunder by 49 shots to 38 but ultimately it was the missed chances and a bit of bad luck that went against them. Man of the match for the Mos went to Ashley Jackson with Tom Carlon picking-up the honours for the home side.

Pictures supplied by Nicola Allen.