Invicta Dynamos face a weekend road trip and the head coach is relishing some time away.

The Mos face Cardiff Fire on Saturday and Swindon Wildcats 2 on their way home the following day.

It’s a chance for some team bonding.

“It’s a good opportunity for the group,” said head coach Karl Lennon.

“We don't get these opportunities regularly in the season to spend time away from the rink together.

“I know we're still in our team tracksuits and we're still playing games in between but even being able to share an evening meal after the game, or breakfast in the hotel or whatever, will be something.

“Those moments are the things that actually last when you finish your playing career, those little trips away together and stuff.

“It'll be a good opportunity for us to sort of re-centre on that part of the team, the characters and how we interact with each other. I feel it's come at a good time for us.”

The Dynamos start the weekend against a Cardiff Fire side who are back in NIHL South Division 1 after three seasons competing in the second division, with a rebuild job on and off the ice.

It’s been a tough start to the season for them.

Lennon said: “They've had some high scores against them against what would be the top four or five sides in the division.

“It's not been an easy start, I imagine. This level is definitely a step up from where they were last year.

“But there's one thing I know about a team from Cardiff, and my experiences in the past, they were always dogged, determined, will put up a fight any time you play against them. You have to show up and win that first before you can start playing.

“That will be our prime focus for the weekend when we play them. It's just to show up ready to go and that wasn't the case on Saturday and that has to be the case this weekend.”

The Mos lost 4-3 to Romford Buccaneers in Gillingham last weekend before a comfortable 12-1 win over strugglers Milton Keynes Thunder the following night.

Lennon’s men had beaten Romford 11-4 on the last meeting between the sides but the coach knew that result had been harsh on their rivals.

The Mos beat Swindon 6-1 in their previous encounter and hopes his team don’t take anything for granted this Sunday.

“We have to take the lessons from the weekend,” said the coach.

“If anything, it’s better it happened now than later in the season, because we could mask some hidden problems. I think being exposed early on has given us the opportunity to address that.

“They, of course, are a similar proposition (to Romford). Both are young and energetic and we shouldn't struggle with that sort of side. We should also be able to use our experience to perform. That's what we'll be looking for this weekend across both games.”

There’s still some action at Planet Ice, Gillingham this weekend.

The Invicta Dynamics’ ladies ice hockey team stage their first home league game this Saturday.

The Dynamics host the Streatham Storm at Planet Ice, Gillingham with a 6.30pm face-off.

The season got under way last weekend for the Dynamics, away in Bristol. Despite being short benched, 10 players against their 22, Invicta won 4-2.

Charlotte Davenport got the opener against the Huskies and scored twice more to complete her hat-trick in a dominant second period, while Amanda Cue also struck in the win.

It’s free entry to watch Kent’s only women’s ice hockey team and supporters can take part in a raffle, thanks to a donation from Asda in Chatham, ‘chuck a puck’ and a 50-50 draw.