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Invicta Dynamos take on Cardiff ENL Devils at Gillingham this weekend in a game which has suddenly become a "dress rehearsal" for their play-off clash next month.
Last weekend’s results, which included Dynamos’ surprise defeat at the Streatham Redskins and the Devils losing to the Wightlink Raiders, means that the final make-up of the top five teams in ENIHL South Division 1, but not their final positions, has now been decided.
Romford and Chelmsford must slug it out for the title and Wightlink Raiders will finish third, with Dynamos and Cardiff left to contest fourth place.
Dynamos are two points behind the Welsh side but with a game in hand, and coach Kevin Parrish (pictured) said: "It means Saturday’s match is huge because we want to finish fourth and so earn home advantage in the play-off game (with Cardiff).
Saturday’s game will have an extra edge after what happened when the sides last met at the Silver Blades Rink just before Christmas.
That game was abandoned after 35 minutes following a number of incidents on and off the ice, including a mass brawl and an altercation between a Devils player and a spectator, which ended with Cardiff refusing to return to the ice after a break in play.
Both sides were fined £250 by the English Ice Hockey Association and the Devils were also deducted two points, and Parrish said: "There’s going to be a lot of hype after what happened in the last game and Saturday could be a blood-and-thunder affair, but it could also be a cat-and-mouse affair with both sides not wanting to give anything away before the play-off game."
Dynamos are likely to be without defenceman Tim Smith after he damaged his shoulder in the 4-3 defeat at bottom-of-the-table Streatham, a result which ended Invicta’s chances of finishing third.