ENL Devils New Year Games

ENL DEVILS 6 -  3 Invicta Dynamos

The Cardiff ENL Devils kept their title dreams alive with a big 4 point weekend with wins over both London-based Streatham Redskins and currently reigning ENL champions Invicta Dynamos.

Saturday brought ‘the BIG one’ to the Cardiff Bay Arena, where the ENL Devils played host to the current league pace-setters Invicta Dynamos. The Dynamos have seen out the first half of the season in typical bullish fashion and find themselves in usual territory sitting top of the table, having only dropped points on 2 occasions. The game promised to be a fiery, action-packed affair as the rivalry that has developed over the past few seasons between these two competitive sides saw the first encounter earlier this year result in a physical battle, culminating in no less then 4 fights in the Gillingham Ice Bowl. Once again, the game lived-up to its pre-match hype.

The Dynamos could not have got off to a better start scoring the opener after just 23 seconds to silence the bumper home crowd. Cardiff-trained player Nicky Lewis fired the visitors ahead from a shot out -wide that bobbled agonizingly over the shoulder of Cardiff stopper Mike Brabon. One minute later and Cardiff’s dismal start was compounded even further as Invicta import Nolan Boike intercepted a cross-ice pass to race in and finish neatly his break away to give the visitors a quick-fire 2-0 lead and stun the home side. The Devils quickly re-grouped though and started to up the physical intensity that has typified their play throughout the season. It was on 9.29 that they got their reward and a clever shot/pass from the point by James Manson was redirected by Steve Fisher into the visitors goal. Gaining momentum, the home side pressed on and 2 minutes later had their equalizer. A Dan Bowers shot took a deflection before Alan Armour tucked the puck past the Dynamos keeper Shane Kemp. An even 1st period ended 2-2 that had seen the Dynamos start brighter, but the Devils come back strong.

Cardiff rallied further in the 2nd period and looked to impose themselves further on the game. Some big hits were thrown by James Manson and Corey Watkins, the latter proving to be the antagonizer for the visitors. At one stage it looked as though Watkins and Giles were going to go with each other but Giles seemed reluctant. From the very next face-off though, Giles decided that he did actually want to go and immediately dropped his stick and threw a few glove punches to the face of Watkins. The two got tied up before full blows were traded and were both dispatch to the box with 2 + 10 roughing penalties, but, Giles having already served a 10 minute misconduct in the 1st was then ejected for receiving two 10 minute majors. During the 4 on 3 that followed, Cardiff went into the lead as Dixon slid the puck across to Chris Hart to slap shot home from the point through Kemps legs. Tim Burrows then doubled the Devils lead with undoubtly the goal of the game as he showed sublime skill to split through the Dynamos defensive pair before racing in and slotting though the legs of Kemp with a nice deke. It had been very much the home sides period as they went into the break 4-2 up having outshot the visitors 20-6 during the 20 minutes.

Predictably the Dynamos came out all cylinders firing as they chased the game in the 3rd and bought it back to 4-3 when Peter Vaisanen – Invicta’s other import who is leading the league in goals – scored a classy goal as he powered his way out the corner and back handed in the top corner. But the Devils hit back almost immediately as Man of the Match Alan Armour one-timed home from the slot a great pass by Phil Manny who had carried the puck end to end. At 5-3 it proved to be a nerve racking final 13 minutes but the combination of the Devils defence and Brabon in goals held strong at the back with some resolute defensive play particularly on the penalty kill. James Manson and AJ Smith both received 2 + 10 penalties for roughing as a scuffle between the two broke out as tempers flew and both continued their war of words as they made their way to their respective changing rooms as less than 10 minutes remained in the game. Invicta came closest to scoring when they forced Brabon into a neat glove save but the grafting ENL Devils held out for the win with Captain David James making the points safe with a minute to go as he scrambled the puck into the visitors empty net despite being puller down by two Dynamos players on their blue.

A terrific home win for the Cardiff ENL Devils that sees them 5 points behind the league leaders and still 2 encounters to play between the sides. Excellent support from both teams’ fans made the atmosphere electric and really added to the occasion.

Match Stats:

Devils Scorers: Armour (2+0), Fisher (1+1), Burrows (1+0), Hart (1+0), James (1+0) , Manny (0+1), Madge(0+1), Dixon(0+1), Manson (0+1)

Man of Match: Alan Armour

Period Scores: 2-2, 2-0, 2-1

Streatham Redskins 2 – 4 ENL DEVILS

The Cardiff ENL followed up their win over Invicta Dynamos on Saturday night with a victory over the Streatham Redskins on the road to take maximum points from the weekend.

Having enjoyed a long run of home games the ENL Devils took to the road again to take on the Streatham Redskins in one of the most difficult rinks to play in in the UK. The Redskins have bolstered their ranks in recent months and improved their on-ice results as they move towards mid-table safety – picking up most of their points on home ice. The home team had 4 complete lines and were an almost entirely different team to the one that came to the Cardiff Bay Arena to receive a thrashing earlier in the season. Streatham went about their game by working tirelessly, skating hard and pressing the Devils on the puck throughout the game. With the Devils short on numbers in defence Adam Wood and Jordan Powell switched to play along the blue both having had some previous experience on defensive duties. It was a testimony to the Devils versatility that they managed to keep a clean sheet by the end of the first period, heading into the break 1-0 up thanks to a goal solo effort by Corey Watkins. Watkins had forced a turnover whilst fore-checking hard on the penalty kill – then finishing smartly with a powerful back hand into the smallest of holes in the keeper Sanderson’s top blocker-side corner. Sanderson had indeed been busy, making a string of fine saves to keep the ENL Devils to just the one goal – and his work was far from over for the night.

The Devils had the lions share of possession and opportunities in the second period but struggled to find a way past Sanderson in the Redskins net. A series of athletic saves kept the Devils at bay until Dan Bowers finally beat him with a rocket shot low to the blocker side. 2-0 up the Devils were stunned by a quick-fire double by the home side to level things up at 2-a-piece. Chris Jones however quickly restored the Devils lead with a quick wheel round the Redskins net before powering home a wrist shot from the side of slot area. The referees/linos did a fairly good job in attempting to spoil the contest by being very nit picky on all faces offs slowing the tempo of the game down and the period would see Brabon receive a 10 minute misconduct for protesting after a Redskins players skated through the Cardiff keeper and the nettie none to pleased by the lack of protection he was given by the referee.

The third period was a very tight affair as the Devils found themselves short handed for large periods. Brabon came to the Devils rescue as he saved a penalty shot – awarded after Dan Madge was ruled to have bought down a man on a break away. Later the eventful period would contain a Manny vs Hardy fight that saw Manny shirt his opponent and see him to the floor. Adam Wood was then ejected for what was bizarrely judged by the linesman as an attempted ‘kick’. A very harsh call indeed as no-one in the arena judged it that way apart from the lino who called it, deciding that as Adam’s leg swung around as he fell to the ground following a check that this could be interpreted as a ‘kick’. Nevertheless the Devils saw off the 5 minute penalty as the penalty-killing unit continued its recent fine form and kept it clean at the back. Tim Burrows made the points safe then with a few minutes remaining as he blasted home from the slot following good work by Steve Fisher in the corner. Adam Wood picked up the Man of the Match award despite not finishing the game, after an inspired performance filling in as a defenseman for the night.

The result, although against lesser opposition than the night before, was just as hard work to achieve which is greatly to the Redskins credit. The ENL Devils continue to roll on and off the back of not just this weekends performances but a fine December, they should be there or there abouts come the end of the season in what is gearing up to be one the finest ENL seasons in recent years.

Match Stats:

Devils Scorers: Watkins 1+1, Burrows, Jones and Bowers all 1+0, Powell,Deacon,Armour,Fisher and Wood all 0+1

Man of Match: Adam Wood

Period Scores: 0-1, 2-2, 0-1

PIMS: 53 on Devils , 14 on Dynamos

Shots: 30 on Devils Brabon , 58 on Dynamos Kemp