Ice Hockey: Chieftains off to a fine start

The start of the game was delayed for some 15 minutes to allow the 800 plus crowd to get into the rink.

When the game got underway, Chieftains, wearing their smart new white and burgundy strip, were forced into early defensive action.

Simon Smith, 20, in the home net was forced to make a series of sharpsaves to keep the scoresheet blank.

Chieftains for their part took time to settle with so many new faces in the squad and it was not until the third minute that Murray Tester in the Dynamos goal was brought into action.

Referee Aaltonen, having had a quiet first few minutes, penalised Chieftains' Jake French for holding and from the resultant power-play, Dynamos opened the scoring when Elliot Andrews snapped in a close range effort at 9.40.

Shortly after Chieftains had a goal disallowed, Dynamos were guilty of indiscipline and Aaltonen awarded a string of penalties against them, leaving Chieftains 5 on 3.

The advantage told as, at 14.25, new club captain Karl Rogers set up Jon Cotton for a sharply-taken goal to level the scores at 1-1.

Soon into the second period, with Dynamos' Clement penalised for slashing, Chieftains took the lead on the power play at 27.16 when a good break involving Darren Cotton and Jon Cotton was finished off by Andy Hannah close in.

Smith continued to be the harder worked of the two netminders, but continually thwarted Invicta.

At 33.33 Chieftains found themselves short-handed after Pete Morley was penalised for hooking.

Dynamos were guilty of committing too many men forward and a good interception by Rogers left him clear on goal and he duly netted with ease.

Chieftains effectively wrapped the game up at 37.30 on yet another power play.

With former Chieftains player Phil Donavon penalised for elbows, Craig Metcalf, foraging forward, rounded a defender to score a fine third goal for the Chieftains third power play goal of the night.

The game's only nasty incident saw Chieftains'young Swede Johan Vikstrom being taken to hospital with a badly cut face and referee Aaltonen decided to finish the period early to allow the players time to cool off.

The result of the fracas saw Chieftains start the last period short-handed, but they came through the situation unscathed.

The game entered a niggly period which served to disrupt the flow and Aaltonen did well to maintain the discipline and keep the penalties to a minimum.

The only even-handed goal of the night saw Chieftains increase their lead at 46.55 when a good break out saw Hannah lay a pass into the path of Jonas Stenmark and the young Swede beat Tester.

Invicta were then denied a goal when Skinnari was hauled down from behind with only Smith to beat, leaving the referee no alternative but to award a penalty shot on 54.32.

However Smith was once again the hero with a fine save to deny Skinnari.

Both teams tired towards the end of the game and both could have had goals as first Darren Cotton for Chieftains had a fine shot plucked out of the air by Tester and then Smith denied Andrews.

Chieftains' Stuart Coleman saw his first action of the night end with a high sticks penalty and with just four seconds left on the clock, Smith was finally beaten when a Shaun McFadyen blue-liner ricochet past him.

A scoreline of 5-2 owed much to the superb skills of Smith although the team put in considerable effort.

Of the skaters, new captain Karl Rogers was outstanding and the signs are that as the team begin to gel together, will again be a major force at this level.

The Ridleys Brewers' man-of-the-match award was won by Smith for Chelmsford and McFadyen for Dynamos.

Chieftains were back in league action on Saturday, when they hosted Oxford City. Yesterday Chieftains visited Romford to face local rivals Romford Raiders.

On target . . Andy Hannah, who scored Chieftains' second goal last Sunday.

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