Christmas Series Recap: Kimberley Dynamiters sweep Fernie Ghostriders

The Kimberley Dynamiters swept the Christmas Classic series with the Fernie Ghostriders for the first time since 2011.

Over the two games there were 13 goals were scored, 2,171 fans, 276 penalties in minutes, and 30 games in suspensions.

The first game was held in Kimberley and was a high scoring affair that needed to be resolved in 3-on-3 overtime.

The Dynamiters opened the scoring at the two minute mark of the first with a power play goal by James Farmer. But Ghostriders Justin Peers responded with two goals of his own, before Nitro’s Matt Davies scored with 19 seconds left in the period to tie it at two.

Davies gave the Dynamiters a 3-2 lead at the midway point of the second. The Riders responded in the same way they did in the first, scoring two goals of their own. Holding onto a 4-3 lead going into the final frame.

"In the second period we deserved the better fate, score wise." Said Kimberley Dynamiters head coach and general manager Derek Stuart "In my opinion, we carried the play, we just didn't get the bounces on goal.

"Give Fernie credit, they played a good solid road game tonight. Didn't give us too many opportunities. We had to earn every opportunity we got."

In the third period, the pace of the game slowed, as the lack of conditioning over the Christmas break began to show. Kimberley then had a chance to get level in the game with a penalty called with 2:19 left in the third. Adding to the intensity was clock issues, as the score clock struggled to post the remaining time. Nonetheless, it took the Nitro's took 30 seconds to cash-in on the power play with a goal from Chase Miller. It was from this moment on that the game felt like overtime.

The first period of overtime, four on four, resolved nothing so the game moved into a five minute period of three-on-three hockey.

Nicholas Ketola was dragged down on a break away and was awarded a penalty shot, but Ghostriders goalie Brandon Butler stopped him (these were Butlers last games as he is having season/career ending knee surgery). Moments later the Nitro's thought they scored the winner, but the net was dislodged before the puck went in. No goal. After two glorious opportunities, hope was beginning to fade.

"We have gotten to the point as a staff that when something like that happens, we don't have to say anything anymore." Stuart said "The group of leaders and veterans were just telling everyone to calm down and keep plugging away. They take care of it themselves."

And that's what they did. With 2:22 left in the last period of overtime Nich Herringer (now credited to Joe Karpyshyn) scored the overtime winning goal. The Civic Centre erupted!

"It feels good. It's nice to get the win after a break." Defencemen Tyler Van Steinburg said after the game.

The series then shifted to Fernie for game two.

"Overall, which ever team is in the best condition right now will have the advantage." Stuart said inbetween the games.

The Fernie Memorial Arena was filled to capacity. But it took until the later half of the second period for either team to solve the goaltenders. Nitro’s Cody Campbell and Rider’s Butler were putting on a clinic.

Karpyshyn would score the first goal of the game on the power play from Van Steinburg.

"We did an excellent job of silencing their crowd.” Stuart said. “Our penalty kill was outstanding. We limited their scoring chances."

Karpyshyn and Van Steinburg would team up for two more goals in the third periond, one each, to give the Dynamiters a commanding 3-0 lead with five minutes left in the game.

Ghostriders Nolan Lagace would end Cody Campbell's campaign for a shutout with four minutes to go.

It was what happened in the final thirty seconds of the period that will be remembered. A line brawl erupted during the faceoff following the Rider’s leading scorer Mitch Titus being injured on what Stuart called an inadvertent hit.

"Obviously in today's hockey, when your best player gets hurt there is going to be retribution whether if it is a clean hit or not."

The resulting line brawl had 182 penalty minutes dished out. After the game, the league handed out 25 games worth of suspensions to the participating players.

“[Fernie] chose to instigate a line brawl the following whistle.” Stuart said “We only had 2 players fight, 3 of our guys didn't drop their gloves or throw a single punch.

“The rule is clear, if the team instigates a line brawl, the instigating coach and players get suspended. Hopefully the league follows the rules as they are stated in the supplement.”

The Dynamiters would leave the game in a theatrical manner as they won the game 3-1. Campbell made 35 saves for the win.

"The prime scoring chances Fernie did have, [Campbell] was excellent. Very square to the puck, very little rebounds. He was one of the main reasons that the score was zero heading into the third.

"At the same time it gave our team a lot of confidence having our starting goalie in net. He performed like he always has."

Karpyshyn and Van Steinburg stood out in the two games. Van Steinburg would score one goal, on the power play, and assisted on three others. Karpyshyn would score three goals, including two game winners and a power play goal, while adding two assists.

The two wins now has Kimberley tied the Creston Valley Thunder Cats for first place, but with a slight edge because they have won more games than Creston Valley.

However, for Stuart and the Nitro's they were not focusing on Creston, they focused on beating Fernie.

"When we are not playing Creston, we don't think of them at all. We are focusing on our opponent. Our goal was to put distance between us and Fernie."

"The most important thing is that we beat Fernie, putting a little more distance between us and them." Stuart said.

Check it out in the Kimberley Bulletin/Cranbrook Townsman