When the Kimberley Dynamiters finished
their training camp on August 28 and prepared for the upcoming regular season,
the 23-man roster contained only seven players who had played a game in the
KIJHL, and only five of those played for the Nitro’s the season before.
Not only did the team have a new head
coach, but they had a completely new roster. Many around the league and at home
pegged this season to be a rebuilding year. When the Nitro’s lost their season
opener 2-1 at home against the Fernie Ghostriders, fans too began to feel it
was a rebuilding year.
But then the Nitro’s won the remainder of
their September games, winning seven in a row, going into October. Then as
October ended and November started, the Nitro’s went on another seven-game
winning streak. And to the fans pleasure, the Dynamiters were not losing at
home, including sweeping the Christmas Classic with Fernie, and would not lose
at the Civic Centre until January 14 against the Creston Valley Thunder Cats.
During that time span, the Dynamiters had
an astounding 29 player transactions as Stuart would keep tweaking his lineup.
The player’s individual work would start
garnering league wide attention. Mitch Traichevich was an honorable mention for
player of the month in October, and would later be traded to his hometown club
in Dawson Creek.
Later, in December Cody Campbell would go
undefeated posting two shutouts and earning the Kootenay Conference Player of
the Month recognition, while newly acquired Nolan Kurylo scored seven goals and
12 points during December receiving an honorable mention for player of the
month.
Kurylo would keep up his top-notch
performance in January scoring six goals and 19 points in nine games. That
would be the only highlight to January, as the Nitro’s would lose ground on the
division leading Thunder Cats.
The Dynamiters would close out the regular season
strong, winning their last five games, and lineup against the Fernie
Ghostriders in a fan favourite best of seven series in the opening round. Chase
Miller would be named the Eddie Mountain Divisions Top Rookie posting 19 goals
and 32 assists.
This series helped the Dynamiters build
character as they would finish the ‘Riders season with Tyler Van Steinburg
scoring in double overtime.
Next was the Creston Valley Thunder Cats,
the Cyclone Taylor Cup hosts, a team stacked because of their automatic ticket
to Junior B tournament. Winning game one, and then game three and four in
double overtime, what once seemed impossible at the start of the season, was
becoming a reality.
For the third year in a row the Dynamiters
would advance to the Kootenay Conference Finals, after winning the Eddie
Mountain Division playoff title, and face the Beaver Valley Nitehawks. The
“rebuilding” team would force a winner-take-all game five. And that’s where the
Nitro’s magical run would end, one game away from advancing to the KIJHL finals
for a third year in a row.
While Campbell would be named the teams
playoff MVP, James Farmer would put on the best offensive output by a
defenceman in the KIJHL in recent memory, and lead the team in scoring with
five goals and 15 assists.
When Stuart reflected on the season he
acknowledged there was a learning curve, unfamiliar territory and a lot of
uncertainty.
“I didn't really see it going this well,
given all the uncertainty. I couldn't have asked for a better group of people
from the executive right down to the equipment manager.”
“I am most proud of is how they players
came together and competed and battled as a team. They were, in my opinion, a
true team.”
Stuart was very pleased with the support of
the community and the fans, “One of my goals at the start of year was to
put together a team that the town would be proud of, I really think we did
that.”
While it is still too early to venture into
what the team will look like next season, Staurt is excited about next season.
“We could be a dangerous hockey club next
year. We have 20 eligible players that could come back, about 10 have indicated
already that they would like to come back, and the closer to 20 returnees we
get the more dangerous we will be.”
It was a rebuilding year, the team
did over exceed expectations. Stuart and staff now have a foundation
established that they can build upon.
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