Ice hockey

Invicta Dynamos 4 Bracknell Hornets 2

by Michael Phillips

INVICTA need just one more point to retain the ENIHL (South) title. They won a cracking match against their nearest rivals, on Sunday, and with Cardiff coming unstuck at Chelmsford could be crowned champs at Wightlink Raiders on Saturday.

Which would make Sunday's home match with Cardiff little more than a formality and the chance for their fans to celebrate.

The home side were missing injured pair Nolan Boike and Ryan Giles plus the suspended Mark Williams and the first period started with a penalty against Bracknell's Craig Tribe who received two minutes for cross checking at 4:25 which he served without his team conceding.

At 7:14 Peter Vaisanen was given two minutes for interference and was soon joined in the box by Jack Tarczycki, who got two minutes for roughing at 7:40.

They were joined by Tim Smith at 8:31 (two minutes for delaying the game) but it was while they were down to three men that they took the lead with a shorthanded goal scored by Andy Smith at 9:19. A J Smith and Mike Jones assisted, but they would since they were the only two other Dynamos players on the ice!

Bracknell's James Galazzi was given two minutes for roughing at 13:12 but he wasn't there long as Elliot Andrews made it 2-0 at 13:19 on powerplay, assisted by Andy Smith.

Nicky Lewis made it 3-0 at 14:22, assisted by Peter Vaisanen and A J Smith and the home side were in command.

The first minor scuffle occurred at 15:08 between Grant Baxter and Bracknell's Brad Watchchorn, with both players receiving 2+2 for roughing. Anthony Leone joined Baxter in the home penalty box at 15:23 (elbow) and 10:20 into the second period James Galazzi was back in the box. His offence was tripping for which he received the usual two minutes.

A delayed penalty goal scored by Leone, his first goal of the season and assisted by Karl Lennon made it 4-0 at 36:12 and while Vaisanen was serving two minutes for interference Bracknell ended Joe White's shutout. James Galazzi hit the target at 39:14.

The second and final scuffle of the night occurred in the third period at 45:41 between Tarczycki and Galazzi. They both received 2+2 for roughing and while Galazzi was joined by his captain, Dominic Hopkins at 48:04, and while Tim Smith also received two minutes for tripping the only other goal action came at 52:31 when Tony Barclay grabbed a second consolation.

By then that's all it was.