The Invicta Dynamos bounced back to winning ways with a comfortable 5-1 victory over Wightlink Raiders on Sunday night.
Fresh from having lost 6-4 to the Solent Devils the night before, the Dynamos knew they needed to pick up two more points at home if they were to keep their title aspirations alive.
With the game hyped up after the last time the two sides met before Christmas, a big crowd packed into the Silver Blades ice rink in Gillingham.
Those that came out and braved the cold conditions went away glad they had, but it didn’t look like it was going to be the Dynamos night in the opening minute of the game.
Icing without Frankie Harvery, Danny Terry or Steve Nightingale, the Dynamos found themselves picking up a penalty with just nine seconds on the clock as Charlie Phillips was sent to the bin for two minutes, adjudged to have clipped his man.
Less than a minute later and he was joined by Callum Fowler (hooking) and Arran Strawson (boarding) as the Dynamos faced a prolonged spell of 5 on 3 that they did well to defend.
Despite being numerically disadvantaged, the Dynamos raced clear at one point with Nicky Lewis pinging a shot back off the post.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 13th minute and it came from the unlikely source of Strawson who has found his scoring boots in 2015, ramming home from the tightest of angles.
Invicta doubled their lead two minutes into the second period as captain Anthony Leone followed up from a Billy Phillips strike.
At the other end Mark Lee pulled off some fine saves to deny the Raiders and it paid dividends because the Dynamos made it 3-0 on 35 minutes with Juraj Huska firing the puck across the crease for the waiting Billy Phillips to slam home.
With Callum Fowler off for roughing, the Dynamos did things the hard way and scored a powerplay goal in the 39th minute with Strawson setting Michal Oravec free and the import did the rest.
Wightlink got themselves a lifeline in the 45th minute with Mark Lee unable to prevent Alex Barker’s fierce shot from finding the roof of the net.
The game was put to bed though a minute later as Andy Smith danced down the ice before clipping the puck high into the net to make it 5-1.
That was the way it was to stay right up until the final buzzer with both teams happy to shake hands on a well fought for game.
The victory keeps the Dynamos top of the NIHL South on goal difference, just ahead of the Chelmsford Chieftains who have three games in hand.
It’s a home fixture next for the Dynamos as they welcome Oxford City Stars to Gillingham on Saturday night, before heading to Essex to face Chelmsford on Sunday evening.
To listen to our exclusive interviews with Kevin Parrish and Jack Lee from after the game, click here: