SATURDAY 11TH JANUARY 2025
RedHawks Forced To Work Overtime
Match Report by Chris Beal
Streatham continued its winning run of form on home ice Saturday, with a 1-0 overtime win over the Invicta Dynamos.
Games between the two sides have become must see hockey on the high road in recent seasons. And Saturday night’s game was just such another game.
The opening 10 minutes of the first period was a chess match with both sides probing for weaknesses and opportunities but finding none. Both sides were doing a solid job of blocking the shooting lanes. And when an opportunity did find its way through netminders Brad Windebank for Invicta and Brett Shepherd for Streatham would be there to stop the chances.
Both sides would come agonizingly close with chances pinging off the goal posts in the first. But at the close of the period, it would be 0-0
The second would see Streatham begin to exert dominance over the play, choking off the Dynamos ability to press forward and peppering the Mo’s net with what chances they could. Again any chances that got through would find the net or chest of Windebank, rebounds would be cleared by the active defence. And once again both sides would find the posts of the net.
The third period would see frustrations begin to boil over as both sides crashed the nets looking to get in the faces of Windebank and Shepherd, to try and unsettle the netminders. Streatham would continue to push with most of the offence but couldn’t find a way through. Ziggy Beesley with one of the best chances firing straight down the middle at Windebank but the Mo’s netminder had it scouted
Possibly seeking to spark something for both teams, Ethan Lane and Reagan O’Neil would drop the gloves and fight at 55 minutes. The pressure would be piled on the Dynamo’s further, as seconds later James Laming would be sent to the box for a tripping penalty. Coach Ben Paynter would call a timeout to rally the troops for a final offensive. That would ultimately fall short. The buzzer would sound as the clock ticked down. 3 on 3 overtime would now have to decide the result.
It would take just 13 seconds of overtime for Paynter to lead his team to victory a broken play in the neutral zone forcing a turnover released Paynter down the wing. With the reduced space of 3 on 3 Paynter found the gap he needed and roofed the puck over Windebank’s shoulder to trigger the celebrations. Handing the RedHawks the 1-0 win
After the game Paynter was pleased with the win, but critical of the performance
“It was a funny game for us, we had a sloppy first period. We got better in the 2nd, and then by the third we were better. I think their goalie played really well but I don’t think we tested him much. Most of his saves were routine. But it was a good game of hockey, for a neutral or ,first timer to watch. Defensively we were good, we know they like to counter, and we discussed that pregame. And so I think, we were solid defensively and so was Brett in net.”
This evening we welcome the Chelmsford Chieftains for the first of 2 games in 2 weekends against them on the High Road. Both games with a lot at stake, as a place in the cup final is on the line tonight and vital league points next weekend..