Lee Valley Lions

Lee Valley were looking to continue their form from a strong away performance at Swindon two weeks ago. They had previously drawn in Cardiff and there was belief they could improve on that result and move up the league table. Missing were Theo Abban and James Hatfull.

Richard Hodge © Patrick Ayling

First Period: The game started at a furious pace, the Lions making several inroads into the Cardiff zone. First Nick Alley (playing in defence to cover the absent Hatfull) rung a wrist shot off the post; the resulting rebound was almost turned in by a Cardiff defence-man but Ross Miller recovered well to stop an own goal being scored. The very next play, Alley took the puck from his own zone, skinning the Cardiff defence-men before forcing a good save from Miller. As the Lions swarmed, James Hepburn latched onto James Gosling’s pass (5:30) to put the Lions ahead. Lee Valley continued to dominate the period but in the last five minutes, Cardiff began to work their way into the game. In the final minute of the period the Lions failed to clear the zone and as the pressure built up, Owen Griffiths (20:00, assist Raffaelli) tipped a shot on the buzzer to equalise for the visitors – much to the anger of the Lions’ bench as it appeared to go in after the clock had run down.

Second Period: Needing to bounce back early, both sides failed to find any spark and with the ice still soaking from the resurface between periods. Lee Valley found several chances squandered as the puck stopped dead, including a breakaway chance for Gennadi Yufit. Once the pressure eased, Cardiff again found their stride and it was them who took the lead. After a turnover in their own end, the Devils rushed up ice and set up well for Giacomo Raffaelli (34:17, assist Elias) to take advantage of a planned screen on Aaron Mallet and shoot low to score. Few chances were created after that and the period ended 2-1 to Cardiff.

Calum Heath attempts to break through © Patrick Ayling

Third Period: Things failed to get better for the home side, as they couldn’t find the cutting edge needed to break the hard-working Devils. Several chances went begging for the Lions before Griffiths (44:11, unassisted) found himself open in front of net after sloppy Lions’ play to double the visitors’ lead. Cardiff continued to press and with the Lions tiring, Callum Wallace (48:51, assist Newton) latched onto a rebound and managed to roof the puck from a tight angle past a scrambling Mallet, to essentially kill off the game. Wallace’s part in proceedings hadn’t quite finished, though. As he made a late hit on young defenceman Jarvis Mewett, the under 18 took exception and slashed Wallace. This led to a coming together of players on the ice and when Mewett went to let Wallace know what he thought of him, a scrap between himself and Matt Griffiths ensued, both players sitting roughing penalties as a result. Giacomo Raffaelli was thrown from the game for abuse of an official but as a contest the game was done and Cardiff eased to victory, departing East London with a 4-1 win.

The Lions travel to Peterborough next weekend for our final game of the year.

Period Scores: Lee Valley 1-1/0-1/0-2
Shots on Goal: 33 on Mallet (Lee Valley), 26 on Cardiff (24 on Miller, 2 on Bird)
Penalties in Minutes: Lee Valley 6-20 Cardiff
Man of the Match: Lee Valley – Joe Berry, Cardiff – Callum Wallace

Photos from the game are here. You can also follow the Lions on Twitter and on Facebook.

Lee Valley travelled to Swindon NIHL Wildcats this past Saturday, looking to bounce back from their poor performance in Basingstoke. Missing from the squad were James Hatfull, Max Gerstein, James Joseph and the under 18s, who were at home… to Swindon.

First Period: Neither side was able to gain the upper hand as the game started, with teams almost playing each other out of the game. There were no penalties until Graham Lewis took a clumsy hooking penalty eleven minutes in; the visitors defended well and killed off the penalty. Eventually the Lions began to pressure Kevin McGurk in the Swindon goal; Gennadi Yufit sent Theo Abban in but the ref lost sight of the puck and blew his whistle just as Yufit banged in the rebound. Despite ramping up the pressure the period ended scoreless.

Second Period: Lee Valley picked up the pace in the second, and the chances were closer and closer each time. Eventually Romanas Fedotovas (24:44, unassisted) picked up his own rebound and dumped the puck in the net to give the visitors a deserved lead and it wasn’t long before the score was doubled. A small skirmish formed in front of the Lions’ net which saw James Gosling drop the gloves with Nathan Chilcott (both receiving 2+2 for roughing) and Ryan Richards also go for roughing. The Lions took advantage of the resulting powerplay when Theo Abban (29:42, assist Yufit) tipped in a brilliantly faked shot from Gennadi Yufit to put Lee Valley 2-0 up. Despite their dominance, the Lions couldn’t add to their total and a lack of discipline saw Jack Ball sit for cross-checking. Swindon capitalised on the resulting powerplay when Luke Merrick (35:44, assists Sullivan and Taylor) found himself open and free to slot the puck past Aaron Mallet to halve the lead. The physicality went up a notch with both teams making big hits, but neither side could add to the scoreboard and the period ended 2-1.

Third Period: The Lions kept their momentum going with the visitors going close on several occasions. As the period drew on, the hosts began to lose their discipline and tempers came to a fore when Shannon Taylor was thrown from the game for abuse of an official. The Lions though were able to close the game out and come away with their first away win for two seasons.

Period Scores: Swindon 0-0/1-2/0-0 Lee Valley
Shots on Goal: on McGurk (Swindon) 55. On Mallet (Lee Valley) 43
Penalties in Minutes: Swindon 42-12 Lee Valley
Scorers: Swindon – Luke Merrick (1+0), Daniel Sullivan & Shannon Taylor (0+1)
Lee Valley: Romanas Fedotovas & Theo Abban (1+0), Gennadi Yufit (0+1)
Man of the Match: Swindon – Kevin McGurk, Lee Valley – Aaron Mallet

Our next fixture is also our last before the Christmas break when Cardiff come to the den on Saturday, December the 7th. Face off at 5:15.

You can view highlights of the game courtesy of Swindon HERE.

You can also follow the Lions on Twitter and Facebook.

Lee Valley couldn’t match the previous week’s heroics against Oxford as their woes away from home continued in Hampshire. Missing were Max Gerstein and Theo Abban. Making his senior début was junior player Jordan Turner, while George Alley came into goal for his first start of the season.

First Period: Basingstoke started the stronger, making the most of their large ice pad and cycling well from their own end. The Lions were beginning to leave gaps in neutral ice and after creating a few chances, the Buffalo were 1-0 up after a 2-1 broke from the Lions’ corner and Simon Beere (8:29, assists Sutton & Wheeler) slotted in at Alley’s near post. The possession didn’t change much and Basingstoke started to stretch the visitors more and more, eventually Alex Sampford (10:19, assists Pitts & Tambellini) scored from a similar angle after good work in the corners. This sparked the Lions into life and the visitors began to work their way back into the game with James Hepburn, Romanas Fedotovas  and Richard Hodge working well to force good saves from Chris Edwards in the Buffalo net. No goals came of it though and the stanza ended 2-0 to Basingstoke.

Second Period: Lee Valley didn’t do themselves any favours at the start of the period, first James Hatfull was penalised for roughing and following that, the Lions were given a penalty for too many men on the ice. It was on the proceeding powerplay that Basingstoke capitalised. David Collins (23:40, assist Pitts)  tipped a shot from the blue line to put the Buffalo 3-0 up. Despite pressure from the visitors, it was sloppy marking in the neutral zone that allowed Alex Sampford (28:17, unassisted) to breakaway 1-on-1 against Alley and the forward dispatched his chance, making it 4-0. The Lions were having the majority possession from there and were working the home goalie hard. The Line of Nick Alley, Bailey Wooton and Joe Berry created several chances in one shift, including a shot from young defenceman Jarvis Mewett that just stuck under Edwards’ right pad. The pressure finally paid off as Richard Hodge (35:18, assist Hepburn) was left open in front of net and pulled one back for Lee Valley, who ended the period with their tails up, but they couldn’t convert any more chances and it ended 4-1 to the home side.

Third Period: The Lions started the period as they had ended the second, creating chances but not being able to convert them. Both sides then exchanged attempts on goal but both goalies held firm and it wasn’t until Nick Alley was penalised for slashing that Basingstoke got their 5th, Simon Beere (52:37, assists Wheeler & Dollin)  sneaking behind the Lions’ defence on the powerplay to tip another blue line shot. This didn’t disparage the Lions though, they continued to attack and eventually out-shot the hosts in the period, but for Edwards in goal. Basingstoke killed the game off when Lee Valley failed to clear their zone, leaving the Buffalo to go 3-on-1. Alley saved well from the initial cross-ice play but Neil Leary (55:46, assists Beere & Sutton) was left unopposed to poke the rebound home, making it 6-1 and the game didn’t really produce anything after that.

Lee Valley travel to Swindon NIHL Wildcats next Saturday, hoping to get back to winning ways immediately.

Period Scores: Basingstoke 2-0/2-1/2-0 Lee Valley
Shots on Goal: 27 on Edwards (Basingstoke), 33 on Alley (Lee Valley)
Penalties in Minutes: Basingstoke 4-27 Lee ValleyScorers: Basingstoke – Simon Beere (2+1), Alex Sampford (2+0), Mark Pitts, Ryan Sutton & Gareth Wheeler (0+2), Neil Leary (1+0), Francesco Tambellini & Sam Dollin (0+1).
Lee Valley – Richard Hodge (1+0), James Hepburn (0+1)
Man of the Match: Basingstoke – Simon Beere, Lee Valley – Richard Hodge

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Lee Valley Lions caused the shock of the season in NIHL2 as league champions and then-unbeaten Oxford City Stars were humbled at the Den, giving the Lions their first victory in over a month (a 5-4 win against Wightlink).

First Period: Oxford, as expected, started the faster of the two sides. Playing with speed and precision they showed why they have been the dominant team since dropping from Division 1 a couple of years ago. However, there were no clear-cut chances, Lee Valley began to work their way back into the game and it was the Lions who struck first. The on-form Romanas Fedotovas set up by his line-mates James Hepburn and Richard Hodge (3:25), this rattled the Stars and they created more chances, only to come up against an in-form Aaron Mallet. Lee Valley weren’t being pushed over though, and the hosts got another goal at 9:14 when Fedotovas (assist Hatfull) went through the Stars’ defence to round Ricky Young. The visitors upped the physical side of their game and both sides began to take penalties, Hepburn sitting for clipping and Fedotovas then going for tripping, then interference. Neither side could add to the scoreboard and it ended 2-0.

Second Period: A much closer affair, both sides found it difficult to break the other down. Oxford going close a few times, there was a brief moment of worry for the Lions when goalie Mallet had an Oxford forward accidentally fall on his arm, causing a short delay but he was able to carry on. Oxford got their breakthrough shortly after when Nick Oliver finished off one of the visitors’ many well-cycled plays (29:24, assist Whillock) to bring it back to 2-1. The Stars were now playing with their tails up but the Lions held firm and were able to see the period out without any further incident. Ending 2-1, Lions.

Third Period: With the Lions now under pressure from a resurgent Oxford, the last thing they needed was to take penalties to increase that pressure. Unfortunately, Graham Lewis (interference) and Jack Ball (holding) both took separate spells in the sin bin. Lee Valley were able to hold firm though and got another go-ahead goal when Richard Hodge’s shot (47:19 unassisted) from the blue line was deflected straight through Ricky Young’s legs. It wasn’t all over though, and from thereon in the Stars began to up the ante, keeping the pressure on the Lions’ goal. With the clock ticking down, they finally got their goal. After a scramble in front of net, the puck trickled out in front to a waiting Joe Oliver (57:03, assist Broughton), who blasted the shot home to the delight of the visiting fans. Cue now an incredibly tense last few minutes where Oxford pummelled Mallet, but the hosts were able to weather the storm. And as the clock hit zero, the Lions rushed to the ice as though they’d won the league, bringing an end to a fantastic game and a much-deserved Lions win. Having thrown a few games away in the last period recently, it was refreshing to see Lee Valley hold their nerve and close out a match right to the end. And what a way to do it.

Lions 3-2 Oxford.
A post match interview with Lions’ Head Coach, Gary Dodds, can be found HERE, courtesy of OxfordCityStarsTV (© all rights reserved).

The Lions travel to Basingstoke Buffalo next week, hoping to keep this run going. Our next home game is at home to Cardiff Devils on the 7th of December.

Period Scores: 2-0/0-1/1-1
Shots on Goal: 36 on Mallet (LV) 16 on Young (OXC)
Penalties in Minutes: Lee Valley 14-20 Oxford
Scorers: Lee Valley – Romanas Fedotovas (2+0), Richard Hodge (1+1), James Hepburn & James Hatfull (0+1). Oxford – Nick Oliver & Joe Oliver (1+0), Michael Whillock & Sam Broughton (0+1)

Man of the Match: Lee Valley – Max Gerstein, Oxford – Andy Cox

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Lee Valley Lions were left wanting late on again as Peterborough Islanders slipped away from East London with a late victory. After the previous week’s poor showing in Slough, the Lions were looking to bounce back immediately.

First Period: The visitors were first off the mark when Craig Lazenby went in unassisted (4:07), Romanas Fedotovas continued his scoring form (7:39, assist Berry) and from there the Lions began to pressure the visitors without much response, only sixteen seconds later, Fedotovas drew the Islanders’ defence away from net to feed James Hepburn (7:54) putting Lee Valley 2-1 up. Despite the barrage on Peterborough’s goal, the Lions couldn’t add to their tally and the score remained 2-1 at the close.

Second Period: Lee Valley have developed a bad habit of conceding early and that unfortunately continued when Steve Maile (21:53, assist Porter) to tie the game. The Lions were back in front again when Gennadi Yufit (26:15, assists Hatfull and Fedotovas) tipped in brilliantly from James Hatfull’s slap shot, ringing the puck in off the cross bar and post to leave Isles goalie Samuel James no chance. From thereon though the visitors settled down and took advantage of some poor Lions defending, first Maile (28:25, assist Mackintosh) equalised, then Alexander Cleves (29:58, unassisted) went in alone before Lazenby was put through by Pentecost (37:56) to make it 5-3 to Peterborough going into the third.

Third Period: Now chasing the game, Lee Valley began to up the ante on the Islanders who were beginning to tire. Joe Berry made it 5-4 (45:30, assist Scott-Joseph) before several chances hit the post or just went wide of James’ net. The Lions hadn’t given up yet, and it was a penalty to Maile that saw Lee Valley’s opening when James Hepburn was put in for his second of the evening (55:57, assist Yufit). Instead of settling for a hard earned point, the Lions decided to go for the win but when Ashlee Cave was sent to the box for tripping late on, it was Peterborough who laid the final blow. With Lee Valley attacking shorthanded, a clearance by the visitors was missed by the defenceman and James Pentecost (59:21, assist Turley and Porter) broke away unopposed on Aaron Mallet to seal the win. Ending the game Lions 5-6 Peterborough.

Period Scores: 2-1/1-4/2-1
Penalties: Lee Valley 20-30 Peterborough
Man of the Match for Lee Valley was Nick Alley

Our next match is on Saturday, November the 9th at home to league leaders Oxford City Stars. Face off at 5:15pm.

You can also follow the Lions on Twitter and Facebook