NEW SIGNING Matt Van Der Velden will go straight into Invicta Dynamos’ squad this weekend as the Gillingham-based ice hockey club’s involvement with the Premier Cup comes to an end for another season.

The former number one netminder, signed this week from higher-league Milton Keynes Lightning, was part of the double-winning Invicta side of 2001/02.

In his last two seasons at the Ice Bowl, he won the club’s defenceman-of-the-year and British player-of-the-year awards.

Dynamos player-coach Kevin Parrish said: "I am delighted that we have managed to sign Matt. It is difficult enough to try to sign a new netminder mid-season but to secure a netminder of Matt’s quality and experience is fantastic."

Since leaving Invicta two seasons ago, Van Der Velden spent a season with London Racers in the Elite League, playing a total of 338 minutes with a save rate of 85.3 per cent.

This season he has been sharing netminder duties at Milton Keynes Lightning in the English Premier League, having an 88 per cent save rate from 20 games.

The club have also signed a second netminder in Jonathan Silvester, one that Parrish believes is very much for the future.

Parrish said: "He attended Netminder Hockey School in Canada last summer and is highly rated as a great future prospect. I’ll be looking to use him mainly in the under-19s.

"With the signing of these two guys I now have two quality netminders available in Ian Rowlands and Matt with Jonathan available as cover should either be unavailable or injured."

This weekend Mos fans can look forward to two home games, Romford on Sunday, face-off 5.15pm and Isle of Wight on Monday, face-off 6pm.