After two consecutive weekends of copious scoring and massive leads, the Dynamiters squeaked out two one-goal wins this past weekend against the Nelson Leafs and Columbia Valley Rockies.
In the previous four games, there was an average of 9.5
goals contained in each game, 7.25 of those were Dynamiter goals. This past
weekend, eight goals were scored during the two games.
“We weren’t moving our feet on the weekend.” Said Dynamiters
general manager and head coach Derek Stuart. “If we played like that in the
previous four games the outcomes would have been much tighter then they were.
“We definitely did not play good on the weekend.
“We were opportunistic on our goals. We were not generating
too many chances.
“We were lucky to pull out four points.”
On Friday at the Civic Centre, the Leafs opened the scoring
with a lucky miscue by the Dynamiters. But it wasn’t until the third period
where the Nitro’s finally took control of the game, backstopped by keeper Mitch
Traichevich.
“Mitch was great, after [the first period] miscue he was
excellent.”
Traichevich made 33 saves to keep his team in the game and
to eventually earn the win over the Nelson Leafs. Matt Davies scored the game
winning goal with just over six minutes left in the third.
On Saturday in Invermere, the Rockies took an early 1-0
lead. Again, the Nitro’s didn’t erupt until the third period forcing overtime,
with Chase Miller eventually scoring the overtime winner. Goalie Cody Campbell
kept the team competitive and in the game.
“Cody made real big and key saves that could have blown the
game open.”
Campbell made 23
saves to keep the Dynamiters within range to eventually pull out the win in
over time.
“Our third periods were our best periods this weekend. With
that being said, without our goalies, the games would have been out of reach.”
Even though the Dynamiters got the two wins to earn their
fifth and sixth wins in a row, Stuart was not pleased.
“In my opinion those were bad wins. I know people say a win
is a win, I don’t agree with that. We can’t keep playing like that or we will
lose a lot of hockey.”
“If it wasn’t for our goaltenders in both games, we would
have lost both of them. They kept us in it.”
With the two wins, and the Creston Valley Thunder Cats finally
losing in regulation, the Dynamiters sit tied for first in the division and the
league with the Thunder Cats. However, the Dynamiters have the slight edge
having earned one more win in the same amount of games as Creston.
“One of our goals is to win our division and secure home ice
in the first two rounds. It’s nice right now, but it doesn’t do anything for us
in the long run.
“It’s nice to be sitting in first as November rolls around,
but we want to be in first at the end of the season in February.
“We have a lot of work to do to fix what happened on the
weekend to make sure we don’t play like that again.”
The Dynamiters don’t play a home game until November 15 as
they head on another two-weekend road trip.
MATCH STICKS: Nicholas
Ketola is suspended for one game after receiving a game misconduct in the last
10 minutes against Columbia Valley. Drew Van den Bosch, Bryce Salverda and
Connor Kendall remain sidelined with injuries.
Photo's by Jonathan Righton
Photo's by Jonathan Righton
Check it out in the Kimberley Bulletin/Cranbrook Townsman
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