Up In The Rafters: 7th Webben

STREATHAM REDHAWKS VS INVICTA DYNAMOS

SATURDAY 13/10/18

STREATHAM HIGH ROAD

PRE GAME 

Saturday night action at the High Road saw the Redhawks welcome the Invicta Dynamos. This game was a tale of two teams, with two very different fortunes heading in to the night. The Redhawks were looking to continue a home ice win streak, while the Dyanmo's were looking for their first points of the season having gone 0 in 6 so far.

The Dynamos would need a huge change in their run of bad luck that had already seen the Bartlett brothers depart the club for Chelmsford after receiving job offers away fro hockey. The addition of a suspension for Harrison Lillis meant the team was down to 4 defense man. To remedy the short bench Kevin Parrish had signed former Redhawk Ryan Giles. However the loss of Ondrej Zosiak and Edmund Piacka leaving the team with no imports did make the game ahead seem a very steep hill to climb

For the Redhawks, on paper this game looked comparatively easier than the previous 3 home games. Without Rupert Quiney and Jordan Gregory the team would need to look to its utility players inAdam Wood and Leigh Jamieson to fill in on the back end for the night. Above all else they would need to avoid the banana skin of letting complacency get the best of them. The team you think will be easy pickings is often the one that can slip you up.

There were of course many story lines going in to this game with former Dynamo's and Hawks on both sides. Brandon Miles and Joe Allen trading Streatham for Invicta. And Damien King, Josh Condren and Bailey doing the opposite the other way.

1st Period

The Redhawks would win the opening face off and immediately Carr and Ranson would trap the Mo's in their own end as early attempts were gloved by Connor Morris as he was tested early on. Shortly after the Dynamos would force the play the other way as Leone was able to get a shot away but it was in to Kings chest and the goalie smothered the puck to force the face off.

The play would shift to the Redhawks defensive end for a bit with as Jake Allen would fire wide from  tight angle shot on King. Thomas Soar would begin the first of what would be an impressive evening of shifts from his line by firing the puck in hard from the point after an up iced rush. Ziggy Beesley would pounce on the rebound but Morris again stood strong to deny the Hawks

This would see the beginning of a sustained period of pressure as Wood and Farn would go close with point blasts. The plan of attack seemed to be to rattle the Dynamo's rookie net minder with shots at the point and rebound pounces around the net. Or the point shot house play as I call it. Soon after Warman and Roberts would go close in this fashion. With the Dynamo's failing to clear the crease, and any attempt at defensive clearances becoming turn overs the Dyanmos were trapped in their own defensive zone.

Eventually however the play would shift the other way. A bad clearance attempt by Warman around the boards would become a turn over pounced on by Susters who's shot would be saved by King. However Adam Wood, would find himself called for Hooking and the Dynamo's would go the power play as a result

The well drilled spacing and active sticks of the Redhawks PK unit would limit the Dynamos to being stuck on the outside of the play. Only Giles and Suster's would manage shots of any real threat but again the Hawks PK stood strong and the game stayed 0-0

Next it would be the Redhawks turn to go on the power play as at 9:04 Josh Condren, tried to squeeze by Joe Allen. The resulting collision which looked suspiciously like a knee on knee was called tripping by Mr Stephenson and Allen sat for 2 as a result. The Redhawks effective powerplay would go to work, and the play that saw them take a 1-0 lead would be set up from the point. A Michael Farn point pass down low to Alex Roberts would see the Canadian snipe wide on an open back door. The puck would be worked back round by Roberts to Jamieson who would out dangle Morris and slot it across the crease to a waiting Webb who simply had to put the puck in for 1-0 Redhawks

The Dynamo's would seek to answer back immediately as Matt Foord would break up ice and pick out a waiting Martin Susters but he would fire high and wide as he fell taking the shot. The pendulum would swing the other way as Jaimeson and Siagris would get in 2 on1 and attempt a cross crease play but despite two stabs at the puck Siagris couldn't put the puck home. Again Morris wold endure sustained pressure here, as the best chance would see Carr, Farn and Jamieson combine for a shot that would be gloved by Morris.

The sustained pressure would be made worse by a tripping call against Andy Munroe. The Mo's PK would do a good job stopping the Hawks capitalizing on any of the chances generated. But they were run ragged and tired out by a bombardment of shots and rebounds created by Farn and Jamieson at the point, while an Alex Roberts attempt forced a spectacular acrobatic save out of Morris. However just as the penaly expired, Ryan Webb would find himself wide open in front of net. A pinching Michael Farn would single out the stationary Webb who simply had to fire it past Morris to make it 2-0

A few minutes later the Hawks would make it 3-0. After a huge hit on Warman at center ice a turnover of the puck would see Josh Condren released with the puck. In 2 on 1 on the Mo's defense and with Ziggy Beesley trailing in support Condren would opt for the cross crease play. Morris couldn't move right to left quick enough and Beesley's shot found its way in to the net to make it 3-0 Redhawks

The last action of the period would see Susters in with a chance to get the Mo's on the board. After a break out pass by Munroe the Speedy sniper was in alone on King. However King was equal to the challenge and made the save with his pad to deny Susters. The period would end 3-0 Redhawks

2nd Period

The Redhawks would find themselves stuck in their own end to start the period. However a mix up at the Mo's blueline and a bobbling puck would allow Jacob Ranson to get in, but he failed to trouble Morris. Going back the other way Colvin and Best would feed the puck to a Leone, however he failed to trouble King with his shot. The Soar, Condren and Beesley line would again cause trouble for the Mo's as a failed clearance would allow Ziggy Beesley to squeeze a shot off.

Soon after this, Morris's night would come to a premature end. As a well worked play by Jamieson, Carr and Bailey would work the Mo's goalie around his crease. The cross crease pass by Carr would see Morris keep up with the puck, however in tracking it to save Baileys's shot he appeared to injure his leg.

With Morris having to be helped off the ice, Adam Long would take over the crease duties for the Dynamos. With the starter for the Mo's now in net the team seemed to discover a new confidence and began to creep forward on the puck. Prior to this the Dynamo's had been unable to set up for shots but during this phase of play Giles would provide the toughest test for King off a shot from the point. Joe Allen then crash the net, as the Mo's switched tactics to try and use their faster skaters to catch the Redhawks on the break.

The game would again become one of sustained offensive pressure in the Mo's end. Unable to get pucks past the neutral zone the Hawks would force turn overs and capitalize on broken plays. With the Dynamos unable to string passes together or break out the tired legs began to set it. First Jaimeson and Condren would come close before Alex Roberts would fire in a slap shot that Webb would try to back hand home only for Long to make a save on the play.

Unable to break the choke hold the Hawks were applying the closest the Mo's would get to any offense was when Louis Colvin would break out and get a shot away that King would snatch in to his glove. The resulting face off would see another good chance as Woods failed clearing attempt was intercepted Best who had a tight angle but tried his luck. Only to see the puck smothered by King.

The game would then see another shift in momentum as the lone bright spark of the Mo's offense came to the fore as Owen Dell began a series of up ice solo rushes. Attempting to make anything work for the Dynamos. But he would be forced wide or closed down at every attempt, any shots that were released either went wide or were gloved by King. The Hawks would see a little pressure on their net as Colvin and Best would try to generate a chance from the half boards. Then off a following face of Dell would feed Foord who attempted to exploit some space on the puck, a rebound chance is generated but ultimately its cleared.

 Joe Allen and Brendan Miles would then attempt a crash the net play again, that would see them attempt to stretch King out of place going cross crease, left to right. However King would stop this, and while Allen landed atop King the puck would travel to the opposite end of the ice. Hard work by Ryan Webb would see the puck end up on the stick of Siagris who would dangle out of the corner to roof it back hand to make it 4-0

Martins Susters would attempt to fire back for the Dynamo's first going around everyone and firing off the shot on net. He would collect the lose puck and attempt to go wrap around on the play. But King would see the attempt coming and stop it dead. As the puck would travel the opposite way up the ice it would become a Hawks power play. After Owen Dell high sicked Alex Roberts as the Canadian power forward was breaking in on net.

Nothing would come of the power play and the period would close out 4-0 to the Redhawks. With the Hawks very much in control going in to the third

3rd Period

Despite winning the opening face off it would be the Dynamo's under pressure early on in the 3rd. As they looked to kill the remaining 48 seconds of the Owen Dell high sticking call. The Mo's were feeling the effects of being short benched all evening at this point and the PK was very passive from them. Just making sure the Redhawks were kept to the outside. Upon going back to full strength the Mo's would see Leonne blast one from the blue line but again it was not headed netward. Callum Best would try for the same only to see his effort also saved by King

The game plan of the Redhawks had been a combo of point shots and rebound chances all evening. Attempting the capitalize on the tight collapse approach being employed by the Mo's. Farn would see a quick succession of chances off this with a wide pint blast followed by the pinching D man going for a wrap around that was stopped by Long

The Redhawks would go back to the powerplay at 45:09 as Tom Soar would draw a hooking call off Ryan Giles after skating up ice and dangling through 1 on 2 against the defense. The first chance would see Carr, Roberts and Webb working together to create a close in goal off of around the net chaos. However Long wold smother the puck on this one.

Shortly after the puck would find its way back to Leigh Jaimeson at the point, courtesy of Michael Farn. His point blast would see Adam Long get a piece of it, but the puck would squeak through his 5 hole and end up resting on the goal line where Ryan Webb would simply have to poke it across the line to make it 5-0 Redhawks

Jeremy Cornish would take this chance to give back up Nathan Gregory some ice time as he was swapped in to the game for Damien King. His job of securing a personal shut out against his former club completed for the night. Owen Dell would be the first to test Gregory with snap shot off a face off but Gregory made the all important first save. This would then be followed by a snap shot attempt from Susters which was swatted aside with the blocker.

The game then turned in to a neutral zone game of turn over. With a 5 goal lead the Redhawks could sit back and defend. While the Dynamo's were desperate to break the goal drought they had been enduring now for nearly 3 games. But every attempt at a play by either side would be intercepted and broken up. On the part of the Redhawks this was due to Jeremy Cornish trying out some experimental lines.

Adam Carr would add to his total on the season at 51:03 after a goal mouth scramble. Adam Long believed he had the puck under him, however in a mimic of the Webb goal from earlier all Carr had to do was poke the puck across the line and it was now 6-0 Redhawks

In spite of the score line Adam Long was making saves, at one point a link up play from Siagris with Farn would see Ryan Webb looking to add to his account for the night on the door step, with the puck and net at his mercy Long dove across to glove the puck and make a spectacular save that had some thinking he had gloved it in to his own net

Tom Soars quest to get another goal on home ice had continued through out the night, coming close on several golden chances. Including one where he had James Warman pinching ahead as his screen. But it was a goal mouth scramble that saw Soar get another. At 57:28 skating in with Condren and Beesley, Condrens shot would be saved by Long however the puck would squeak loose allowing Soar to pot the rebound and seal the victory for the Redhawks with 3 to go on the clock

POST GAME

The Redhawks avoided the Banana skin of the Dynamo's. This was a game were one team put another that was struggling to the sword. With the short bench at 13 skaters it was hard not to envision a victory on the night for the Redhawks. I had seen it the season before when Invicta had been short benched by injury, player availability and suspensions. A passive fore check while the smart approach to avoid tiring Penalty kills is useless against an aggressive big team like the Redhawks.

By not challenging the Redhawks in any area of the ice, and gifting them the crease area and hash marks in open play the Dynamo's handed the game and the points over on a plate. There were flashes of brilliance from the likes of Matt Foord, Owen Dell and Martins Susters both looked dangerous but needed support, and seriously missed the outlet passes of Zosiak from the back end. It was even more rotten luck for a team who has now gone goalless in 3 hours of play that Connor Morris had to leave the game after such a spectacular save.

The Redhawks were ruthless and it was good to see the lower order of the forward core thriving in this environment. The extra space is the kind of environment that players like Beesley, Webb and Siagris thrive in and will punish you for. Ziggy Beesleys goal was poetry in motion and was a wonderful set up that showed great vision and awareness by Condren. Of course I must mention the forward who profited most from the extra space and that is Ryan Webb. Webb was a terror for the Dynamo's to deal with and seemed to be everywhere the puck was when he was on. Congratulations on your hat-trick Ryan you thoroughly deserved it for all the hard work this year and last you have put in.

Further congratulations must go to Damien King and Nathan Gregory for their shared shut out. Both made key saves at times, both to maintain the shut out and keep the momentum going the Hawks way. You can only beat what is in front of you and tonight was a truly great team display from the roster regardless of the quality of the Dynamos play tonight.

Tonight the team travels to Peterborough, not a happy hunting ground in the past for the Redhawks but with the team being relatively fresh after a not so strenuous game, and it being a new season, a new team and with a lot of momentum on their side there is no reason they can't exorcise the demons of past results in Peterborough.