Invicta Dynamos will look to build on last weekend’s three-point return in NIHL1 South as they host Solent Devils on Sunday.
The Kent outfit comfortably disposed of Cardiff Devils NIHL on home ice, before a late Steve Osman (above) goal secured a 3-3 draw at table-topping Chelmsford Chieftains. The results left Invicta eight points behind Chelmsford with two games in hand.
Head Coach Kevin Parrish commented: “We put in a greasy road performance that got us a draw. Last time we lost 11-0 there so the improvement in the team is massive. It’s a bonus point for us.
“We’ll keep plodding along – we’re fourth at the moment and that’s probably where we should be. We’ve got games in hand, but we’ve got to worry about what we’re doing not what other teams are doing, stay under the radar and start surprising a few teams.”
Streatham forward Kamil Kinkor is hoping his new link-up with Callum Best can fire the Redskins to victory at home to Chelmsford on Saturday.
The duo both scored twice in their recent 6-4 win against London Raiders and Kinkor says their line with Adam Wood is really starting to click.
“We’re getting used to each other, me and Callum,” said Kinkor. “Callum is very good and I’m used to Woody on the right side. I get the puck on the left and I know that Woody is busting himself to the other side and we make those nice plays and we score goals off them.
“With Callum now in the centre, he looks around, has great coordination and finds us and the open ice, which is great because he has very good experience.”
London face-off against Oxford City Stars on Saturday aiming to continue their recent improvement in form. After a difficult start to the season Raiders have won four of their last seven games to move into mid-table.
Last weekend they lost narrowly at home to Wightlink Raiders, before bouncing back with a gritty win at Solent Devils.
Defenseman David Oliver was pleased with the weekend, but believes it could have been even better.
“Saturday was a great game of hockey and I feel we should have came out with the win,” said Oliver. “We started like a house on fire, with two quick goals in the first six minutes and going into the second I felt we were on top.
“Wightlink got a very lucky goal with the puck coming off the glass and into the empty net and then after their third goal we just didn’t steady the ship in time.”
“We showed great fight getting it back to 3-3, but when pushing for the winner we got caught on the break.
“Like every game there were some great positives to take in our penalty-killing, the only thing we have to look at is shooting the puck at the right time and not getting out-shot at home.”
Bristol Pitbulls’ Player/Coach Richie Hargreaves has slammed his forwards after crashing 6-0 at home Basingstoke Buffalo in NIHL2S last weekend.
Last year’s double winners have enjoyed mixed fortunes this season and Hargreaves has demanded an improvement.
“Our forwards need to score goals – I’m not going to blame the defence as I thought they had another reasonable game,” said Hargreaves.
“But our forwards are only showing up for the games they want to. With the rest it’s like a pick-n-mix. They’ve got to find consistency. They’ve got to find themselves. They can’t score hat-tricks one week and then struggle to even get a shot on net the next.”
“I can’t keep saying to certain players that you are having a good game. I need all 22 guys to have a good game.
“When we start losing games like this, I want them to be disappointed and not just shrug it off and go through the motions. We’ve got too many passengers in our team just now.
“It’s frustrating given that we are team who won so much last year.”
Pitbulls return to the ice at Swindon Wildcats NIHL on Saturday, 5th December.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
NIHL1 South
Saturday
London Raiders v Oxford City Stars
Streatham Redskins v Chelmsford Chieftains
Sunday
Chelmsford Cheiftains v Bracknell Hornets
Invicta Dynamos v Solent Devils
MK Thunder v Cardiff Devils NIHL
Oxford City Stars v Streatham Redskins
NIHL2 South
Saturday
Chelmsford Warriors v Haringey Racers
Sunday
Lee Valley v Chelmsford Warriors
Basingstoke Buffalo v Peterborough Islanders (Cup)
(Image permission: David Trevallion)
