Invicta Dynamos face a weekend on the road as they look to keep their NIHL1 South title bid on track.
Dynamos, who are five points behind leaders Chelmsford Chieftains, face Bracknell Hornets on Sunday before meeting Wightlink Raiders the following day, and forward Steve Osman has targeted a four-point weekend.
“If you look at the calendar there’s some games you know you should be winning, but the games against Wightlink are huge, because if they get one over on us they could be battling for second or even first,” said Osman.
“It’s really important that we do the best we can against the teams around us like Wightlink and Streatham so we can keep the pressure on Chelmsford.”
The Kent outfit will be without defenseman Andy Henderson, who has returned home to Scotland to take up a new career opportunity.
Head Coach Kevin Parrish said: “Andy has been an asset to the Mos both on and off the ice and obviously we’re disappointed to lose him.
“However, this is the price of semi-professional hockey – players need careers and this is too good an opportunity for him to turn down.
“All that remains is to thank him for his efforts in Gillingham and to wish him all the best on his new path.
“I’ve no doubt he will be keeping an eye on our form for the remainder of the season.”
Bristol Pitbulls host Slough Jets in the D2S Cup on Sunday aiming for a win which would boost their hopes of securing a semi-final slot.
The cup hasn’t been kind to the Pitbulls in recent seasons and Player/Coach Richie Hargreaves is hoping for a change in fortunes.
He said: “It’s a competition that continues to elude us every year. We either get beat in the final or don’t get to final stages of the competition.
“So, I’m looking for third time lucky and hopefully for our game on Sunday, everyone will turn up to play. Our fate is in our own hands with this game.
“I’m certainly hoping that I won’t need to motivate the players this weekend, as it’s probably our biggest game of the season.
“It’s difficult to know their form as we are in different divisions. It’s not just that we haven’t seen them, we haven’t really seen the teams they play against either to use as a comparison.”
WEEKEND FIXTURES
NIHL1 South
Saturday
Bracknell Hornets v Invicta Dynamos
Cardiff Devils NIHL v Solent Devils
London Raiders v Streatham Redskins (Cup)
Sunday
Bracknell Hornets v Cardiff Devils NIHL
Chelmsford Chieftains v MK Thunder
Streatham Redskins v Solent Devils
Wightlink Raiders v Invicta Dynamos
NIHL2 South
Saturday
Basingstoke Buffalo v Wightlink Tigers
Slough Jets v Lee Valley Lions
Sunday
Bristol Pitbulls v Slough Jets (Cup)
Haringey Racers v Swindon Wildcats NIHL (Cup)
Invicta Mustangs v Peterborough Islanders
(Image permission: David Trevallion)
