Invicta Dynamos are back on the ice this weekend for a pre-season challenge that doesn’t come any tougher at their level.

The new season gets under way in the middle of September and they’re taking on league champions Streatham Redhawks.

Streatham claimed a league whitewash over the Mos last term, claiming an 11-2 win in their most recent meeting, as they powered their way to another title.

The 2022/23 season proved to be a successful one for the Mos, winning the Southern Cup and finishing fourth in the league.

Head coach Karl Lennon feels he’s assembled a squad that’s even better than before and isn’t afraid of taking tough challenges head-on. The Mos could have had an easier workout, but were happy to take on the champions.

Lennon said: “If we want to move forward we need to be playing against the better teams and they are the best team in our division for the last few years.

“Like anyone, we want to get a fixture in before the season starts as part of our preparation and between us we managed to find a date that worked and that was that.

“We had many other options, we could have played against different teams, but I think we should be pushing ourselves as much as we can and what better team to do it against, especially playing twice in a weekend. It’s a really tough test.”

The Mos play away to Streatham on Saturday and the return is on Sunday with a 5.45pm face-off - a new time for all home matches.

Dynamos start their NIHL South Division 1 campaign away to Solent Devils on Saturday, September 16 and the following day host Romford Raiders.

Early league games will also count towards a League Cup table, with points accumulated against each team when they meet home and away for the first time. The top four progress to the Semi-Finals.

It’s been a busy off-season for Lennon, completing his team roster prior to the weekend with the signing of Danish import, centre-man Mads Thune.

Lennon said: “We have had some changes that naturally happened, because players retired, or we had some lads that went off to university.

“That presents an opportunity for new players and we are looking to improve on what we had and we’re very happy with what we’ve got.

“We are in the game for self-improvement and Streatham have been the benchmark for the last five or so years at our level and what better way to start?

“Last year we played them in the first game, it was a competitive game as it was a cup competition. This year it’s a little different, it’s a pre-season game and a chance to give all the team ice time and also to get the new guys out in front of the crowd.”

Lennon has retained many of last season’s line-up but there are plenty of new faces, too, including some returning to their old club.

He said: “We have got over 15 Kent-based players, we had a core of the squad that we wanted to retain, there were a few that moved on, but the players that we’ve brought in like James Laming, Regan O’Neil and Matty Bell from the Mustangs, that is great, that shows development within the club, the Invicta club.

“Dan Scott was playing at Romford in the division above us now and his working life has changed and commitment levels at that level meant he was an option for us, which is fantastic. He will bring a huge amount of quality. Also from Romford we brought in Tommy Huggett who is a really talented young forward, boosting our young complement of players.

“We also managed to get one of my dear friends and a former junior I played with, Oli Bronnimann. He has played for a long time at the level above us, one of the top British players at that level when he was playing.

“He came and watched a few games last year and was blown away and he wanted to be a part of it, that’s fantastic news.

“He has rekindled the love for this sport, which is great, because the sport is better for him being in it, and we get a player with great ability but also one with great character in the dressing room. It’s a win- win for everyone and I am really happy with that.”

Young forward Harrison Prentice, 16, will be back playing in Gillingham before a planned move to take part in a hockey programme in Sweden. He’s spent the last two years at Chelmsford.

Newcomer Matt Friend will compete for netminder duties after arriving from NIHL 2 side Streatham Blackhawks.