LEA VALLEY LIONS were left cursing their puck after another defeat at the weekend.
The Lions were well beaten into second place by the Invicta Mustangs, who came to Lea Valley Ice Rink on Saturday for the English National Ice Hockey League South Two clash.
The hosts’ efforts were undermined by the thinness of their squad, whose 11 members struggled to keep up with the pace of 18 strong Kent outfit, Mustangs.
Early in the match the Lions won two power play advantages but were not able to score from either.
This profligacy was punished soon, in the tenth minute. Lions netminder Andrew Boot was helpless to stop a shot which was tipped past him, for 1-0.
The second goal followed within a minute as the Lions conceded possession behind their goal to allow a Mustung to pass across to a sniper lying in wait who rifled in his shot.
Mustang Michal Mikal, a star import, was the bane of the Lions throughout. He netted the first of his six goals with his side’s third, capitalising upon an error by new Lions forward Nathan Higgins in his own side’s danger zone.
The first period ended with the Lions trailing 3-0.
The second followed the pattern established in the first, and then some, as the visitors shot twice as many goals again into the Lions net. Too often the defence melted like ice into slush as Boot was exposed again and again.
Ashley Curtin pulled one back for the Lions to make it 4-1, only to see the four goal advantage promptly restored by Michal Mikal, who skated the length of the rink for his goal.
The Mustangs then scored a pair of shorthanded goals to heap humiliation onto the Lions and underline their dominance.
Daniel Artis replaced Boot in the Lions goal for the third period and made five saves in the first minute.
There was a small window of hope created that Lee Valley might get back in the game when they scored two quick goals. Nick Alley netted from Stas Prokofiev and then Ashley Curtin was handed the puck in the Mustangs' zone and put his second away through their goalie's five-hole.
All hope soon faded as Invicta then netted five unanswered goals, two on the powerplay when James Hatfull was called for a total of six minutes of penalties in retaliation for an offence that the referee missed.
Final score: Lions 3 Invicta 14.
One highlight in a dire evening for the Lions was Terry Howlet, a young player product of the Lee Valley junior system. He displayed a never-say-die spirit in defence.
The Lions are hoping for better fortune on Saturday 24 January when they face Slough Harrier Hawks, a team they have twice beaten twice this season. Face-off at 5.30pm.
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